Rebel Against Rebellians
by Pey119
Summary: Years after the Giant War, all seemed well until Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter were under attack, again. But this time, it was from within. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Paste your

Chapter 1- Old MemoriesAllyson thought she was used to the nightmares by now, but every night she still woke in a cold sweat. They always started in a happy scene but would change rather harshly.

 _She was crouching next to a boy about her age. The dream held no color, but she somehow knew his eyes were a brilliant sea green. They were full of fear, but also with adrenalin of what was going to happen. He was speaking to her, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not hear him. Unwillingly, her lips moved, but she couldn't hear the sound that came out. She could only hear one word:_

 _Nico._

The next thing she knew, she was running toward the giant at full speed, crouching under its raised foot. She opened the panel, carefully but quickly. As soon as his foot connected with the ground, she was inside.

From there, she controlled the giant, getting it away from the group of people below her. They all were looking up, the expressions showing the fear within them. When she knew it was far enough away, she blew out a sigh of relief.

Yet, before she could even think about getting out, the giant started to crumble, one piece at a time. Knowing she could never get out in time, she hurried and took an old photograph out of her pocket.

Allyson didn't know who these people were, but she could feel that they were somebody she cared deeply about. One was a boy about ten years old. A smile was stretched a crossed his face as he examined a deck of cards laid out in front of him. Standing beside him was the boy she was next to earlier. He was also smiling, his hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

Then, she too, collided with the ground. She couldn't see or hear anything, but there was so much pain. It radiated through her entire body, pulsing with her weakened heart beat. Eventually, it stopped, and all there was was blackness.

Allyson jumped awake, almost falling out of the tree she had slept in. She sighed, running a tanned hand through her black hair. For almost the third night this week, she had slept in a tree to stay away from dangers. At ten, she was smart and mature for her age. When her mother had died, she knew she had to leave, but she didn't know where. Yet, ever since then, she had been pulled in one direction. Now, she had no idea where she was and she hadn't eaten in days.

Carefully, Allyson made her way down the tree, ignoring the spots of black she left behind. Where she had been sleeping, the tree had already started to crumple. From past experience, she knew the tree would be dead in the next hour. She never knew why this happened, but it did to every single plant she touched, even the grass. Wherever she walked she would leave a dark patch in her wake.

Leaving the tree behind, she started to walk to a hill she had seen earlier. In her mind, something was nagging at her, telling her she was somewhere important. Somewhere she had been before.

But that was impossible, right?

Slowly, she made her way up the hill, taking each step carefully. When she saw someone at the top, she carefully took black gloves out of her pocket and put them on, noting that the boy had signaled someone.

"Hey, who are you?" he asked, peering down at the girl. In his hands, he had a sword and a shield. Both matching in color, he resembled an old mythological soldier.

Allyson opened her mouth and stuttered over her words. "I-I'm Allyson…"

The boy looked down at her closely. "What are you doing here?"

Her lip trembled, but she stopped herself from crying. She couldn't; not here, not now. She couldn't show weakness.

"My mom died, and I started walking. I came here without knowing." Allyson was closer to tears then before, for her mother's death was still raw in her memory. The little girl had seen the whole thing, and she would never forget it.

The boy's expression softened. "I'm sorry to hear that. My name's Marcus. My mom also died when I was your age."

"Really?" she sniffed, rubbing a hand over her eye.

Marcus nodded. His hair was a dark blond, almost bordering on brown. He towered over the girl, who was about 4'8. Knowing he would scare her standing up, he knelt down next to her.

"How long has it been since you ate?" he asked, worry crossing his face.

Allyson shrugged her small shoulders, unconsciously making her bones more pronounced. More tears were making their way down her face, making her look younger and more frail.

"Come on," Marcus said, standing up and holding out his hand for her to take. "Let's go get you something to eat. Then I can explain everything to you. Okay?"

Allyson looked at his hand wearily. Making sure her gloves were on enough and tight, she loosely held on. He smiled and led her away from the hill like he would do for his own child.

"Where are we going?" she asked after several minutes of walking through camp. "Where are we?"

Marcus looked down at her. "It's a camp. We call it Camp Half-Blood. We're on our way to the Dinning Pavilion so you can get some food in you. You really need it."

She nodded, her small head looking everywhere. "It looks familiar…"

She meant to whisper, but he still heard her comment.

"What'd you mean?" he asked. "Do you know this place?"

She blushed from embarrassment. "Kind of? I think I've seen it in my dreams before."

He nodded, still keeping a careful eye on the girl. Eventually, they arrived at the Dinning Pavilion, which was almost empty from that morning's breakfast. He led her over to the Hephaestus table and made a plate for her.

"Allyson, I'm going to go let our director know that you're here. Can you sit tight for me?" he asked.

Allyson nodded, looking happy for the first time since she arrived. Without missing a beat, she continued to stuff the food into her mouth.

Marcus smiled and made his way over to the Big House to find Chiron and Mr. D. The girl was still young, so it may take a couple years for her to get claimed. That meant that they would need to set up a bed in the Hermes cabin. First, however, he would need to take her to the infirmary so Will Solace could make sure she wasn't hurt.

It looked like it was going to be a long day for him, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Dark Clouds

Once Marcus got consent from Chiron, he went to go get Allyson from the Dinning Pavilion. She stared at the empty plate before her, her eyes sad and tired.

"Allyson, I'm back." Marcus said, coming toward her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." she looked up at him. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah…" he answered. He lifted her out of her seat and gently set her on the ground. When he pulled his hands back, they were red as if he had burned them. The pain, too, felt the same, but he was immune to fire.

"What-?"

"I'm so sorry!" Allyson exclaimed, guilt covering her voice. "I didn't mean to, I promise!"

"What do you mean?" Marcus asked. "How did this happen?"

Allyson shook her head, tears starting to pour from her eyes. "Don't hurt me, please!"

The little girl's screaming would start to attract attention soon. Marcus tried to quiet her down, but she kept on going.

"Hey, you! What the Hades are you doing?"

Marcus turned around to find a boy that looked to be about fourteen. His black hair was about shoulder length; uncombed and un-styled, like he had just rolled out of bed. He was short, maybe about 5'4, but he walked like he had been in charge of armies. Because of the stygian iron sword at his belt, Marcus knew this must be Nico di Angelo, the kid that hadn't aged because of time spent in the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

"Nico, I need your help…" Marcus answered.

"What, with making little girls cry?" Nico asked. He went passed Marcus and knelt down next to the girl. "You okay?"

Their eyes locked, and Nico automatically backed up, sensing the reborn soul in her. When he did, he fell back on his hands and scrambled away until he was passed Marcus.

"Uh, Nico, what's wrong?" Marcus asked, looking down at the now twenty-two year old demigod. He only saw Nico a couple times before, like when he was supervising burials of fallen demigods. Other than that, the boy would hide out in his cabin, only coming out for a rare meal. Most of the younger campers were scared of him, convincing themselves that he was some kind of vampire. Now, he looked like one more than ever. His skin had lost all signs of color as he stared at the girl in shock and fear.

Allyson was also stock-still, staring back at him. She had stopped crying, her face wet from the now drying tears. Her mouth was slightly a-gap, small teeth barely sticking out.

"Y-You're Nico…" she answered, not taking her eyes off of him. When he looked at her in confusion, she burst into tears again. "You don't remember me!"

"I've never met you." Nico answered, standing up. "You know that, so don't go playing games. You probably saw me in the Underworld. That's it."

"The Underworld?" Marcus asked. "Why would she have seen you down there? She's a little girl!"

Nico glanced over at him, annoyed. " _Why_ are you here?"

"Hey, I found her on Half-Blood Hill." Marcus defended. "Now, will you please tell me what you're talking about?!"

"Why were you on Half-Blood Hill?" Nico asked, crossing his arms. "You just happened to be standing there?"

Marcus' face turned red. "I-"  
"Save it. I honestly don't care. Allyson, will you come with me? I'll explain everything to you. And don't worry. That power you have? It's Underworld based. It won't hurt me." Nico said, outstretching his hand.

Allyson looked up at him. "He doesn't like me anymore 'cause I hurt him…"

"That's not true." Nico replied. "He was just shocked, that's all. I'm sure he's not mad at you. You don't know how to control it yet, and that's okay. I'll help you learn. But right now we need to make sure _you_ aren't hurt, ok?"

Allyson nodded, taking a hold of his hand.

When they got to the Infirmary, Nico explained the situation to Will but left out the part about her being reborn. Will didn't judge but did his job, using thick gloves as he made sure that she was alright, which she was.

"Thanks, Will," Nico called as he walked out, Allyson's hand in his. Will merely nodded back before carrying on with his work.

"Where are we going now?" Allyson asked, nearly bouncing as she walked.

Nico looked down at her, annoyed by how happy and hyper she was. "To the Big House. Since you have powers originated from the Underworld, you can't stay in the Hermes cabin."

"Why is it called that?" Allyson asked.

"What, Hermes?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Who's Hermes?"

Nico sighed. "I guess somebody has to explain, don't they? You're probably so confused right now. Ok, first off, do you know who your parents are?"

Allyson felt tears spring to her eyes. "My momma d-died a week ago…"

Nico stopped walking and looked down at her. "Do you know how?"

Allyson shook her head. "I thought she was sleeping at first, but she didn't wake up and the sheets were red…"

Nico's face twisted up. "Was there anybody else there when this happened? Or was she acting weird the day before?"

Allyson looked like she wanted to speak, but she couldn't make out the words. Instead, she let a tear slip down her cheek.

"Hey, it's okay…" Nico soothed, crouching next to her. "It's all going to be okay."

"I'm never going to see her again, am I?" she asked, voice trembling.

Nico bit his lip, not sure how to respond. Instead, he pulled the girl into a hug, holing on tight as she started to sob, her body shaking.

When her crying ceased, he held her at arm's length. "You okay, now?"

She nodded, wiping away a tear. "B-Before she d-died, she had a big black cloud over her head… she wouldn't believe me when I told her. T-then this guy was watching from the window. He smiled at me like he knew me. He scared me."

Nico stared at her. "Do you see these black clouds at any other time?"

Her lip trembled, getting ready to cry again. "On the street, sometimes people will walk by with them. You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

Nico shook his head. "No, I don't. You just have powers, like everybody else here. We all have our own unique ones. What you just described to me and the thing you can do with your hands, those are _your_ powers. Now, I want you to tell me when you see one of those clouds, okay? And I mean right away, too."

Allyson nodded. "I saw one on the way to the Dining thing with Marcus. Do you want to know that stuff, too?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Chef Leo the Tofu Taco Expert

Nico's face paled. "Who was it above, Allyson?"

Before she could respond, there was shouting coming from the hill. Nico snapped his head up, expecting it to be a monster attack.

"Nico, what's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.

Nico picked her up and put her on his back before running off to the shouts, not bothering to answer her. He didn't sense a death yet, but Allyson had seen that somebody there was going to die soon. This thought made him run harder than he ever had before.

He passed other demigods on the way, not bothering to answer when the asked him who he was carrying. Instead, he gestured for where the commotion was and continued going. When he got there, there was a group clustered together, but he couldn't see what was in the middle.

"What's going on?!" he asked, finally stopping to catch his breath. "Who died?"

Piper McLean looked toward him, tears flowing down her face, but there was a smile plastered on her face. "Look who's _alive_!"

She moved out of the way to show Leo Valdez, who had supposedly died eight years before. Next to him was a girl Nico assumed to be Calypso.

"Seriously? That's what you were screaming about? God, you scared me…" Nico muttered, sitting down. After running so hard, he was worn out.

"It's nice to see you too." Leo laughed. "Dude, why haven't you aged?"

"It's a side affect from the Lotus," Hazel answered. "Nico, who's the girl?"

Everybody looked at Nico, who seemed to remember Allyson.

"Oh, yeah!" he sat back up and turned to face her. "Tell me who you saw that over. It's not too late to save them."

"Nico, what are you talking about?" Jason asked.

Nico looked up at him, blowing a stray piece of hair out of his face. "Her name is Allyson, she's a new camper. Allyson?"

"I don't know their name…" she muttered.

Nico nodded. "I don't expect you to. What if we went walking around? Do you think you could find them again?"

Allyson nodded.

"Okay, let's go." Nico picked her up and put her on his back. "Oh, Leo, congratulations on being alive."

"Thanks," Leo looked at him. "I thought you had a 'no touching' rule. How come you're holding her?"

"Yeah, Nico, I thought you said no physical contact?" Jason smirked.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Shut up,"

When he was walking away, he heard Leo call out to the group.

"Hey," he said, "Why don't you guys get Percy and Annabeth over here? Chef Leo the Tofu Taco Expert is back!"

"Who is that?" Allyson asked. "Why are they so happy to see him?"

Nico looked over at her head, which was resting on his shoulder. "His name's Leo Valdez. We thought he died a long time ago."

"Oh…" Allyson mumbled. "Are we going to find that person?"

"Yeah," Nico replied. "After that you're going to get some rest. You must be exhausted."

"But I have nowhere to stay…" she answered.

"Hey, don't worry about that. We'll find someplace, okay?" Nico asked.

"Yeah…"

They walked through camp more, Nico ignoring the stares he got from the others. Eventually, when they got closer to the fighting arena, Allyson poked her head up.

"There! There!" she pointed, practically jumping, making him jolt.

"Which one?" he asked, looking at the group in the middle.

Instead of speaking, Allyson climbed down and ran towards them. Nico followed suit, not wanting to lose her.

Allyson stopped before them, looking above their heads.

"Who are you?" one of them asked, looking down at her.

"Drew, leave her alone. She's a little girl." Nico said, coming up beside her. "Allyson, which one is it? Point at her, don't touch."

Allyson looked at them all. "They're too close together. I can't tell who's it's over."

"Spread apart." Nico said, nodding towards the girls.

"Why?" Drew asked, putting her hands on her hips. "You can't just come here talking nonsense and break us apart."

"Look, Drew," Nico said. "We have some Underworldly stuff going on. Do what I said or I'll just let one of you die."

Drew pursed her lips. "Of course, you and your Underworld. Have you ever cared about anything else?"

She moved aside, the other girls following suit. When they were separated, Allyson's eyes widened.

"There's two of them! There's two of them!" Allyson exclaimed, jumping up and down, almost looking happy about it.

"Two of what?" Drew asked. "What is she going on about?"

Nico ignored her and turned towards Allyson. "Who is it above?"

"Her and her." Allyson said, pointing to Drew and another Aphrodite girl.

Nico's face paled.

"What?" Drew asked. "What's wrong with me?"

Before he could respond, his ears buzzed, and his battle senses kicked in.

"Watch out!" he cried out, tackling Allyson to the ground and lying on top of her. As soon as he put his arms over her head, a bomb went off, creating white noise in his ears. Acting quickly, he had just enough time to put a shield over himself and Allyson before the affect went over them, just like his father had done to save Nico and Bianca from Zeus' rage.

As soon as it was safe, Nico's shield collapsed and he sat up, starting to make sure that Allyson was alright.

Nico could see that she was crying, but he couldn't hear anything. There was only a buzzing where his hearing should have been. From research, he knew that bombs could do that to you. Yet, only so sometimes this could be temporary.

"Allyson, can you hear me?!" he didn't know if he was screaming or whispering, but she nodded her head slightly, indicating that she still had her hearing.

"It's okay, its going to be okay…" he said. He began to look at her injuries, but there was only minor ones. On her face, right above her eye, she had a cut that would probably need stitches. Other than that, she only had a few bruises here and there.

He brought Allyson up and hugged her, sensing how scared she must have been. She relaxed in his arms, gripping tightly to his shirt. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see Jason, who looked like he was yelling.

Nico brought up his hand to gesture toward his ear, but stopped when he saw the blood on it. Shakily, he touched where his ear had been, only to feel squishy tissue.

"Jason!" he yelled. "Jason!"

Jason started to talk, but Nico had no idea what he was saying. Finally Jason mouthed that it would be okay.

"Don't worry about me! Fix Allyson first!" Nico said. When Jason gestured for him to lower his voice, he realized that he had been screaming.

Nico looked over to where the two girls had been, seeing that only pieces of cloth and body parts remained. Feeling his stomach churn with sickness, he clasped his eyes together and turned his head away.

Nico opened his eyes and looked at Allyson, who was still in his arms. When Will Solace appeared, gesturing with a gurney for Nico, Nico shook his head and gestured to Allyson.

"Her first." he said.

Will pursed his lips and took out a sticky note. Shakingly writing on it, he showed it to Nico.

'Both of you' it read.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-"Goodbye…"

Lying in the Infirmary bed that night, Allyson sleeping beside him, Nico could not remember anything after he got on that gurney. They had told him he had been conscience the whole way and finally passed out from pain when they got there. Yet, his memory of that time was gone.

Ever since the bomb went off and the damage (two dead) from it was known, the camp was on lockdown, meaning nobody went in or out. Everybody was forced to stay in their cabins, except for cabin councilors, who were having a meeting in the Big House. The only other one in the Infirmary with Nico and Allyson was Will Solace, who had fallen asleep in a cot.

Nico felt Allyson roll over on her side and put her small arm around him, griping his hospital gown. Ever since he had met her, Allyson had a strong affect on him. Just like she said, he felt like he already knew her, but he couldn't think from where. The only thing that kind of struck a memory was her eyes, which were a dark brown, like chocolate.

Nico urgently sat up, his eyes wide and vision sharpened. In that moment, he knew who Allyson reminded him of, and when he thought about it, it made total since. And if it was truly what he was thinking, his sister was back.

Taking the blanket off of him, Nico got up and started to find his clothes. Once he found the black skinny jeans and hoodie, he carefully put them on, not wanting to move the bandages around his head, which covered the exposed areas of his skin that used to hold his ears.

When he felt a tap on his back, he looked back to see Allyson standing behind him. Her hospital gown went down to her ankles, due to her small size. When she looked up at him, tears were in her eyes.

Nico crouched down next to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You okay?" he mouthed, looking into her eyes, the eyes he had known forever.

Bianca's eyes.

She nodded, her bottom lip starting to tremble.

"Hey, I'm going to see what's going on. You want to come?" Nico hopefully whispered, his eyes darting to Will Solace, who seemed to still be asleep.

Allyson nodded again. "I'm scared."

Nico barely understood her, but when he did, his gaze softened. "I know… Look, I have this stuffed bear back at my cabin. When I was little, my big sister gave it to me because I got scared easily. You want it?"

Allyson nodded.

Nico gave her a small smile. "Ok, let's go."

He picked her up and double checked that Will was still sleeping before leaving the Infirmary, silently sneaking out under the stars.

On the way to his cabin, Nico used his powers and willed the shadows to cling to him so he wouldn't be seen by anybody, friend or foe. At the moment, he didn't know who he could trust anymore. Because of the barrier around camp, it would have had to have been a demigod that planted the bomb.

But why?

Why would they have exploded the two Aphrodite girls of all the demigods? They didn't fight, nor did they have any powers. Yet, they were the ones who were targeted and killed. It didn't make any sense.

Then, Nico's mind flashbacked to earlier that day, when he first say Allyson.

 _"Why were you on Half-Blood Hill?" Nico asked, crossing his arms. "You just happened to be standing there?"_

Marcus' face turned red. "I-"

Nico knew he couldn't jump to conclusions or judge Marcus because of that, but he had to be on high alert around him, that was for sure. Marcus still hadn't told him why he was up there, and he had no excuse to be. They weren't needing guards or anything, so why was he just waiting with a shield and sword?

 _"I've never met you." Nico answered, standing up. "You know that, so don't go playing games. You probably saw me in the Underworld. That's it."_

"The Underworld?" Marcus asked. "Why would she have seen you down there? She's a little girl!

"Nico glanced over at him, annoyed. "Why are you here?"

"Hey, I found her on Half-Blood Hill." Marcus defended. "Now, will you please tell me what you're talking about?!"

Nico knew it could have been anything, but there was still a large possibility that Marcus could have been waiting for Allyson, but why would he? Obviously, he saw the dark patch in the grass where she walked. Could he possibly know about her being Bianca?  
Nico shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. Right now, he couldn't worry about stuff right now. Instead, he had to focus on keeping Allyson safe. Already, she was a sister to him, and he _would not_ lose another sister.

When he picked the old teddy bear off the floor and handed it to Allyson, he could tell that she recognized it. Bianca had saved up for so long just to get it to him, so she probably remembered it deep inside.

"Are you ready to go?" Nico asked, watching as she grasped the bear and held it close to her chest.

She smiled, eagerly nodding her head.

Before Nico could pick her up, a bright light shone by the window, like someone outside had a flashlight. Acting on impulse, Nico crouched down and moved Allyson behind him.

One after another, about eight silhouettes crossed by, each holding either a flashlight or lantern. He couldn't tell if they were female or male, but they were defiantly demigods. He could tell because they held themselves in a way all demigods did; their heads were up, pride radiating off of them, but they also walked with a wave of melancholy, like they knew they would die soon and excepted it.

Once the last one left, Nico directed Allyson to hide under his bed and carefully inched open his door, watching their retreating forms enter the woods. The air was bitter and cold, but he kept on staring after them, his eyes watering from the strain. Until sunrise he stayed like that, keeping a watch, making sure they wouldn't come back.

During that night, he finally realized that Camp Half-Blood wasn't safe anymore, even in the daylight. Everybody was an enemy, everybody a suspect. They all were likely to go against each other, and he knew he couldn't keep Allyson there while keeping her alive.

Once the sun was fully risen, Nico closed the door and turned back to his cabin. Allyson was fast asleep, half sticking out from under the bed. Watching her sleep, still young and innocent, Nico knew that he had to get her out of there, fast.

He locked the door, careful to close all the blinds and curtains. Nico than turned to his closet, taking out a black duffel bag and began to fill it with the necessities for two people: two toothbrushes, a hair brush, pajamas and clothes (two sizes), and weapons. After he was done, he swung it on his shoulder, testing the weight.

Before he went to wake Allyson up, he stopped by his desk, where he picked up the few pictures he had of his old family and of his friends when they had been happy. He put those, too, into his bag.

Nico picked up Allyson bridal style and walked to the door, turning around to look at his room one last time. He stared at everything, memorizing it all, getting ready to leave and never look back. Camp Half-Blood had never really been a home to him and never felt like it, but now that he wasn't going to come back, he finally realized how much he loved it.

"Goodbye," he said to the empty room. "I'll miss them all…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Burn Bright 'Till It's All Gone

Ever since a couple days ago, Reyna haven't heard anything from Camp Half-Blood, and it was almost like they had never met them. Iris messages were not answered and no one was coming over anymore. Jason was supposed to be back by now, but they hadn't heard from him. Frank, too, was still gone, leaving her, again, the only praetor. During a meeting, they all agreed that if they weren't back in a week's time, they would send people to the Greek camp.

A week came and went by, the people they sent never coming back or informing them in any way. More and more, everyday, they lost more people as they went to Camp Half-Blood.

Percy and Annabeth were still in the collage, the news having not reached that part of New Rome yet. Yet, Reyna knew she would have to tell them soon. If anybody knew what was happening, it would be those two. It was their home and they knew more about it then any of the Roman demigods.

When Reyna was about to leave the building and go and find Percy and Annabeth, she heard an explosion outside, followed by many sets of yells. Reyna hurried and rushed out, seeing that there was Greek fire, _everywhere_. "What happened!?" Reyna yelled, looking at the chaos. Demigods streamed around, some burning, some dead, and some trying to put the fire out, but Reyna knew water wouldn't put it out. It was _Greek_ fire, after all.

Reyna's eyes widened. _Greeks._

She had to find Percy and Annabeth, fast.

The council meeting was just a bunch of yelling and panic. They hadn't left in days, maybe weeks. Instead they just spent countless hours trying to find out what happened, and how.

Hazel sighed, leaning back in her set. Arguing would just make it more of a mess. She grabbed Frank's hand under the table and squeezed it, getting his attention.

"What's up?" he asked, looking at her. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Hazel frowned, "I'm just not excited about going into another war, that's all."

"Nobody is," Frank stated, "Well, maybe Clarisse, but that's it."

Hazel cracked a smile. "Don't let her hear you say that."

Frank rolled his eyes, but their conversation was stopped when Will Solace ran it, his hair everywhere and clothes tattered, like he had been fighting.

"Gods, they finally let me in. I've been trying for a week!" Will exclaimed.

"Will, we're supposed to be on lockdown," Piper answered. "You weren't supposed to come in."

"I know that!" Will answered. "But we've got a problem, a big one."

"What is it?" Chiron asked, the first time he had spoken. The centaur looked worn and tired, like he had seen this all before and knew how it ended.

"It's the son of Hades," Will stated, glancing over at Hazel. "He's gone."

"What'd you mean, 'he's gone'?" Hazel stood up.

"I mean that he's gone. Totally disappeared with that little girl the night he came in. He hasn't come back since." Will answered.

The room filled with voices, mostly accusing Nico, like how they never trusted him before.

"Enough!" Hazel screamed, holding out her hands to silence the room. When it was quiet, she spoke again.

"Good," she said. "Now, first off, if Nico was the bad guy, then why would he plant a bomb right next to him and blow his ears off, huh? Second, Nico is one of the ones that have been here the longest. Yes, his past may be edgy, but it was always for good. He kept the two camps apart so there wouldn't be a war. That's good! He risked his own life to bring the Athena Parthenos here, almost fading from existence. Will can vouch for me on that! He's not _evil_ , and you all know it. You just want somebody to blame because your scared, and I get that. I'm scared too, but he didn't do it. So, we should all stop yelling and fighting so we can sit down and actually think, so we can find out who _really_ did it."

It was silent, everybody watching Hazel. Eventually everybody sat down.

"That's what I thought." Hazel said, also taking a seat. "Now, let's think. Where was everybody that day, and I mean everybody?"

Reyna ran.

All the way to their collage, she ran. Through crowds of older demigods, through kids and adults. She ran without giving an explanation, only saying to evacuate, knowing that it would keep going until all of Camp Jupiter was burned to the ground.

When she got there, Percy and Annabeth were walking out, hand in hand, laughing at something they thought was funny.

"Percy! Annabeth!" she called, catching up with them.

"Reyna, what's wrong?" Percy asked, his face serious once again.

"You need to come with me, now." Reyna answered. "Both of you. On the way, help me evacuate New Rome. All of it."

The couple looked at each other but didn't question it, running after Reyna as she took off again, the way she came, not daring to stop for a breath. Her city was going to be gone by the night, not even the ashes of it remaining, and she could do nothing to stop it. But, she had to get everybody out. That was what she _needed_ and _would_ do. And if she had to, she would burn with her city.

Reyna watched with tears as the last Romans left, making their long journey to Camp Half-Blood. Only Percy and Annabeth stood beside her, keeping her company as she watched the last remains of the city, _her_ city, burn. Soon, it was all gone, for good.

Reyna fell to her knees, her purple praetor cloak blowing with the wind. Her hair had fallen out of its braid, but she didn't seem to notice. Instead, she cried silently until the Greek fire, too, was gone. Only an empty valley was left, where her home used to be.

Annabeth put her hand on her shoulder and kneeled next to her.

"Come on, Reyna," Annabeth said. "Let's get to Camp Half-Blood. Something like this must have happened to them, too."

Reyna only nodded, her vacant eyes never coming off the clearing, even as they walked away. _What_ she was, _who_ she was, was now gone, and it would _never_ come back. She knew, right there and then, she would never be the same again. Her _life_ wouldn't ever be the same. Never would she find her home, because her true home was gone, burned bright 'till it was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- Never Coming BackIf anybody was watching or saw, they would see a boy about fourteen, greasy hair reaching his shoulders. His clothes were ripped and torn, not fit for the ugly winter Manhattan was going through. Only about 5'4, nobody really noticed how thin and tired he really looked. Anybody that did look would turn their heads away fast, not wanting to make eye contact and get involved with a homeless boy, afraid that he was caught up in gang wars. Bandages he had discarded long ago were now at the bottom of a dumpster in a random alley. His hair covered what needed bandaging, so no one could see that he was actually missing both ears. If they did see this, they assumed it was in gang related activities.

In his arms, this boy carried a little girl, maybe nine years old. Her hair was pitch black, bobbed by her ears. Her face was pale white, almost like the snow. The small nose set squarely in the middle was buttoned and small, splashed with freckles. Dark circles lined her eyes, but she still held an innocent look all children had. She, too, was small and thin, dressed it too big of male clothes, like the boy had shared some of his. Over her was a heavy jacket, carefully wrapped so none of her skin was exposed to the cold. Under it her small arms wrapped around a brown teddy bear, unwilling to ever let it go. Even when she was awake, she was too weak to walk, so he continued to carry her as he wandered the streets, coming from nowhere and going nowhere. He just appeared one day, from the shadows and stayed.

On his back was a duffel bag, ripped and tattered. If you were to look inside, you would find the necessities to life, but that was it. Food and water were stolen, baths not taken. Life on the streets were hard, but the two made it through each day, sleeping in alleys or abandoned warehouses, but they would never stay in the same place for long. No, they would never do that. The longest they stayed somewhere was over night, then they would get back up and go again with no destination in mind. They were the lost, the forgotten.

Nico sighed, looking in the store window. His reflection was staring back, his hollowed out face haunting him, telling him that he had made the wrong choice.

How long had it been since he left. A week? A month? Two?

He didn't know.

He lifted a strand of his hair, looking at the length. He would have to cut it soon, it was getting it the way. Not having been washed since he left, it was greasy and wet, a distraction to him if he had to fight a monster or enemy.

He turned from the window and left, carefully making his way back to the alley Allyson was sleeping in. They had made some friends on the streets: other runaways who had nowhere to go. They all watched out for each other, knowing what the other was going through. It wasn't a gang, but an alliance. It had saved his life countless times.

Living by themselves wasn't that great of an idea now that he thought about it. Yes, he and Allyson were safe from whatever Camp Half-Blood was going through, but he had no idea if his friends were still alive or not. For all he knew, they were all dead from an enemy he knew nothing about. How was he supposed to help like this, far away and damaged? Even if he was there, he wouldn't be able to fight because he had no way to hear his enemies. What would stop somebody from coming up behind him and stabbing him in the back?

Yet, what had his friends thought of him? A traitor or a coward? Both? Or did they think he had simple disappeared, maybe died?

What did Hazel think?

Nico shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. He couldn't survive if he kept thinking like this. It would distract him from what was really important: keeping Allyson alive. That's all he cared about, because Allyson was Bianca, he knew it for sure. His sister was alive again, and he would make sure she got Elysium, even if it killed him.

"Allyson?" he asked, walking into the alley.

The little girl sat up, her small form hunched from the cold. "Yeah?"

"I'm back, with some food." Nico opened his thin jacket, causing multiple pieces of fruit to fall out and start to roll towards her.

Allyson's eyes lit up, her limber fingers stretching out to grab an apple and draw it towards her mouth.

Nico sat down next to her, smiling at the eagerness in her eyes. He could see her soul and see how pure it really was. She had not killed one person or monster. The only thing she had ever destroyed was when she was Bianca and she stopped the giant from killing all of her friends. Never had she hurt anybody on purpose.

Nico knew that she could also see his soul because she was a daughter of Thanatos. When she looked in his eyes, she could see all of the monsters and demigods he killed, all the deaths that were on his hands, but she just smiled, forgiving him in one move. She knew that he was sorry, and he was thankful for her forgiveness and understanding.

"Why aren't you eating?" she asked, like she did every time he would bring her food.

"Because," he would say, "You need to get full. Besides, I already had one on the way here."

The last part was always a lie, but she excepted it. He wouldn't let her starve, especially since it was his idea to come out here. It was his foolish mistake, not hers. And he wouldn't let her suffer for it.

That night, he laid down reluctantly beside her already sleeping form. He hated the nights the worst. The ground was always hard and cold, something he would never get used to. He felt like the cold was so frequent and so much that it would never come out of his bones. That even if he stopped with the streets one day and Camp Half-Blood was back in order, he still would never be able to be warm again. The cold had long ago melted into him and became one with every fiber in his body.

He hated going to sleep the most, because he was sick of waking up in a dark, cold alley. What he was doing, it wasn't living. No, instead, it was surviving. Each night he prayed that one day he would finally start living again. Yet, as each day came and passed, weeks turning into months, he knew that it was becoming less and less of a possibility. How was he ever going to be the same after this? Was there going to be an 'after this'? Or was this how he was going to die, just living from dawn to dusk, not knowing if he was going to make it?

When he had lost track of days and hours, of _who he was_ , when all he became was just one of the forgotten, he knew that that was all he would ever be.

He could _never_ come back from this, even though he had come back from the worst of things, even the thing that nobody survived: Tartarus.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- New Recruits

Marcus and Leo stood on Half-Blood hill, swords and shields in hand. Guard duty was switched around with the ones they knew they could trust, like the seven. Everyone was on edge, especially because Romans kept coming out of nowhere, popping up at the most random of times. Once they came in Camp Half-Blood, they couldn't leave because of the lockdown.

"Hey, do you mind if I play some music?" Marcus asked, looking over at Leo. "This is getting kind of boring."

Leo shrugged. "I don't care, but if a monster comes, its your fault."

"Ok," Marcus agreed, taking his I-Pod out of his pocket, pulling the headphones out and lying them on the ground. Quickly tapping on his music, he started playing "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance.

"Dude, what are you listening to?" Leo asked after the first verse.

Marcus looked over at him. "You've never heard of My Chemical Romance?"

"Uh, no, sorry dude. Are they like some weird pop band or something?" Leo asked.

Marcus looked irritated. "They're the opposite of pop."

Leo held up his hands. "Ok, ok. I'm not hating on them, I swear."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "I don't believe you, but I'll let it slide."

"Ok, whatever…" Leo said.

Eventually, after a few songs, Leo perked up. "Hey, I know this one!"

"Of course, you know the most popular one. What's it called?" Marcus asked.

"Uh," Leo scratched his head. "Something about black things?"

Marcus looked at him in disbelief. "You're joking, right?"

"No!" Leo answered. "On the Argo II, Nico's ear buds got broke so he would just play his music out loud. Most of it I think was this band. I don't know, it was kind of satanic, but he played this song a lot. I asked him about it, and I can't remember the full title."

"Satanic?" Marcus asked. "It is not!"

"Uh, huh…" Leo looked down the hill. "Oh, gods, more Romans. Eventually were going to run out of room."

"Wait," Marcus squinted his eyes. "That is the biggest group I think I have ever seen. Dude, there's like about two hundred! That's probably the rest of the camp. But, why are they all coming here?"

Leo shrugged. "Let's go find out. Signal the cabin leaders. I have a feeling were going to have to have another big meeting."

The fifteen year old girl looked through the trees and into the camp, where a progression of Romans went by, being welcomed with open arms when heard of their story.

Her face hardened, anger making the beautiful face into a gruesome sneer. Standing up too fast, she stepped on the girl next to her.

"Watch it," she looked down at her second in command. "You can't just sit in my space."

Her eyes widened in fear, nodding her head. "I'm sorry,-"

"It's fine." she snapped. "Come on, our plan didn't work. They're teaming up, _again_. We need another way to defeat them."

"We could continue with what we were doing, destroy the most powerful first and go down the line. It-"

"It didn't work!" she exclaimed. "We only blew his stupid ears off. We didn't even get the girl! She's _ten_ , how isn't she dead yet?! I gave you one task, and you messed it up, Lindsey!"

"I'm sorry!" she spread her hands out. "I tried! We got two demigods here, but we also got, like, twenty at the Roman camp."

"But the two here were _Aphrodite_ girls!" her leader snapped. "They were useless, and you know it."

Lindsey only nodded, knowing that arguing with her was a lost cause.

"Come on," she said, "We need to get going and find _another_ plan. We have new recruits. Maybe they will help."


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 8_**

When Reyna, Percy, and Annabeth got there, the Romans told their story to the Greeks, only leaving out Reyna's breakdown. When she was talking about it, Reyna furred her eyebrows together.

 _"They don't look surprised…"_ she thought, looking at each face. Reyna recognized each and every face, but someone was gone, someone that promised he would stay.

"Where is the son of Hades?" Reyna asked after they had all sat down at the Dinning Pavilion for a meeting with the whole camp.

As soon as she said it, she regretted it. Arguments broke out across the tables, shouting and yelling. When Reyna looked over at Hazel, she could see that she was silently crying, her head in her hands.

"Enough!" Chiron yelled, grabbing everyone's attention. "Reyna, Nico di Angelo disappeared about three weeks ago."

"What do you mean, 'he disappeared'?" Percy asked, standing up. When Reyna looked over at him, she could see the worry radiating off of him. She knew about how he had promised Bianca, Nico's late sister, that he would take care of the boy. Now, he was missing when they were at war.

Will Solace stood up, his hair tussled and his eyes unfocused. The son of Apollo had been working non-stop, healing injured demigods who had been training too hard, afraid they wouldn't have time left to practice.

"Three weeks ago, a bomb was planted and went off, right next to three Aphrodite girls, Nico, and a little girl named, uh, Allyson, I think? Yeah, that sound right. Anyways, the thing totally blew his ears off, so obviously we took him to the Infirmary with the girl. Two of the Aphrodite girls died. Later that night, he snuck out of the Infirmary with the girl when I was asleep. He never came back."

"Who was Allyson the daughter of? I've never heard of her before." Reyna asked. "Was she a new camper?"

"Yeah, she had come that day. She hadn't been claimed yet, but she was around nine years old. And she had, like, crazy powers. When Marcus grabbed her arm through her clothes, it made what seemed to be a burn on his hands. It ended up actually being his skin cells dying and melting." Will answered.

"I've never heard about anything like that. What about the daughters of Athena? Have you?"

The table shook their heads, but when Reyna looked back at Annabeth, her face had lost all color.

"Annabeth? You know something?"

She took a shacking breath, closing her grey eyes a brief second before opening them again.

"That power, the killing of his cells, would have actually killed him if he touched her skin. The power is one that has only been heard of through Thanatos, the god of the Dead. He would use the ability to take someone who was passed their time. Everything his skin touched would die in an instant."

They were all silent, both Greeks and Romans, staring at Annabeth, hoping that they had misunderstood her.

"So, your saying," Reyna started, "that Allyson was a daughter of Thanatos?"

"Is, not was." Hazel looked up. "I would be able to tell if her or my brother was dead. We're connected, somehow. I don't know how, though."

"Is it because of her father?" Percy asked.

"I wish it was," Hazel's face glistened from tears. "But, it's not. I can tell. Her soul, it's too old for her body. And I think Nico saw that, that's why he wouldn't let her out of his sight."

"How could her soul be older than her body?" Annabeth asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

Reyna looked at Hazel, understanding what she was trying to say. The thought shook Reyna, for she had never met somebody like that.

"She's saying," she called out, "that Allyson is a reborn soul. She had lived before."

"She's what, nine? If she was a demigod, we would have known her before she died." Percy said. "But, who could it be?"

Reyna's blood ran cold, eyes widened. She looked over at Annabeth, who made eye contact with her. They knew, but nobody else did.

 _"How can Percy be so blind?"_ Reyna thought, trying to think of any reason why it wasn't what she was thinking. If it was, then it was bad, very bad. If Nico had known, they he would do anything for the girl, even reckless and dangerous.

"Percy, think about it…" Annabeth said in a small voice. "Who died twelve years ago that Nico was attached to?"

The new campers and Romans looked confused, but every Greek's head snapped up.

"Bianca…" Percy breathed out. "But, that's impossible, right? A demigod can't be reborn into another demigod, can they?"

"It isn't _that_ rare, Percy." Reyna said. "It's only rare to know that they were reborn."

"So, what are we going to do? Does that mean the girl is powerful?" a camper asked. "Because, if she is, two death demigods working together wouldn't be good."

"And, what, exactly, do you think there working together for?" Reyna asked. "Are you accusing them of treason?"

"No!" he stood up. "I just meant that they would be very powerful together."

Reyna glared at him. "We have no idea how much power she possesses. If she gets everything from her dad, then there will be no stopping her. With both Nico and her powers working together, they resemble what we all fear the most: death."

"And, I'm not saying they are, but what if they turned to the other side?" Conner Stoll asked. "There would be no stopping them. We need to find them before they do."

"I agree with Conner," Annabeth stood up. "Whoever is attacking us, if they get a hold of Nico and Allyson, were done for, permanently. We need to find them, and fast."

"And, how are we going to find them? Two children of the Underworld, they're the masters of stealth. If they don't want to be found, they're not going to be." Hazel said. "But, we need to find them. We just can't send search teams out. They would never find them. We need to send Iris messages, if they answer, see what's in the background. Try to see what the weather's like and if there outdoors or in. We need to track them down differently then we would do if it was someone else. He was shadow travel, she has killing by touch. We need to be careful and fast."

"Hazel's right." Reyna spoke up. The purple Praetor's cloak on her shoulders felt like a memorial, set out for all the world to see. They looked at her with pity, like wearing it tied it to her soul, which it did. "We need to find them."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Ambrosia and Nectar

Nico was getting annoyed, fast. He couldn't go five minutes without getting Iris messages, which he swiped his hand through each time. He would have thought that they would have ran out of drachmas by then. Finally, he decided to go to Camp Jupiter and ask his sister what was going on.

"Allyson, where are you going?!" Nico called after the girl, who was dancing as she walked. She had went far ahead, almost out of sight.

She stopped advancing until he caught up to her. They were down-town San Francisco, and the weather was like early spring. The girl was hyper with energy, like she awakened with the spring.

"This is boring!" Allyson stomped her foot. "It's my birthday!"

"Trust me, I know it's your birthday." Nico answered. "I promise, we'll do something. You can't just keep leaving me behind, though."

"But, you're going too slow." Allyson said.

"I am not! You're just going too fast." Nico replied. "Really, how do you get all that energy?"

"I'm ten!" she held out both hands, all the fingers up. "And you, sire, are fourteen, which makes you old."

"Because you can't hold up that many fingers?" Nico asked, continuing to walk.

"Yep," Allyson put down her hands. "Hey, what's that?"

Before Nico could see where she was looking, the girl ran off down an alleyway.

"Hey! Where are you going!?" Nico called, holding out his hand as if to stop her. When she didn't answer, he looked around to see if anybody was watching. When he was sure they weren't, he ran after her.

His footstep echoed against the walls, his heart in his stomach. He could not see or hear the girl, like she was gone from existence.

"Allyson?" he called, only getting his echo in return. "Come on, stop playing jokes. I know you're there."

After a few minutes with no reply, Nico went deeper into the alley. "Allyson, are you okay?"

No answer.

He stepped in a puddle, it's red hue wetting his sock. "What the-?"

Nico yelped when something hit the back of his head, causing him to see spots. Dizzily, he tried to turn around but was stopped when something wrapped around him, and his vision went black.

Peyton wrinkled her nose against the smell of burning flesh. She had been running the Infirmary because Will had to be in the meetings, which were almost 24/7. Everyone was freaking out, like it was the apocalypse or something. Peyton didn't dwell too much on it, trying to keep her mind on healing the sick.

A son of Ares had fallen off the rock wall when some of the lava got on his skin. Now, she was trying to heal the burns, but the smell kept stopping her from doing it right.

"Ok, I'll be right back." Peyton stood up before finishing the wound. She walked to a small cart, where she put toothpaste on a swab before putting it under her nose to block out the smell.

Before going back to the patient, she put her white-blond hair up into a ponytail. When she looked around, she saw where she had been living for the past week. Extra cots were set up on every wall available, making it crowded. Apollo campers were spread everywhere, but there just wasn't enough. Peyton had been second in command for a while now, so she knew this place. Either it was empty or it was crowded. Ever since Percy Jackson had arrived at camp when he was twelve, the days that the Infirmary was empty where getting rarer and rarer.

She sat back down next to the son of Ares and continued on dressing the wound. The smell, now, was lessened because of the strength of the toothpaste. Will had showed her the trick long before, when she was a little girl. Peyton had basically grown up in the Infirmary, especially since she had been at Camp Half-Blood for as long as she could remember. Her mother had died when she was two years old, so she was raised there.

"Peyton!" Michael Yew ran up to her. He had been crabby the past couple of days, because he wasn't really the healing type. Instead, he got archery from Apollo.

"Yeah?" she asked, standing up. "Justin, you're good to go. You can leave."

The son of Ares nodded before standing up to leave."You were saying?" Peyton asked, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. The spring air was more like summer, forcing the doors to be opened to try and cool the large room. Because of the extra beds and cots, there was no room for fans. Instead, the had one slow ceiling one.

"We're out of Ambrosia and nectar." Michael answered.

"Seriously?" Peyton asked. "Ok, um, hold fort here while I go tell Chiron. Treat people with what mortal supplies we have."

Peyton walked out of the Infirmary for the first time in days. She squinted her eyes against the sun, its light making her white-ish hair even more so. She walked past campers, noticing for the first time that the place was overflowing with Romans. Their purple shirts stood out amongst the orange, but they were well mixed together.

She got to the Big House, carefully opening the door to the rec room. The lights were dimmed, but she could make out all the cabin leaders and some of the important Romans.

"Like I was saying, we should-" Percy stopped when he saw her. "Hey, what's up?"

All eyes turned to her, and Peyton could feel her palms start to sweat. She hated public attention ever since she was a small kid. She learned to stay in the corners of the Infirmary, learning but not talking.

"Um, we have a problem at the Infirmary." she stated.

"What's wrong with it!?" Will asked, standing up.

"We're out of ambrosia and nectar." Peyton replied. "How long do you think before we can get some more from the gods?"

Everyone quieted, Will sitting down without answering her.

"Why, what's wrong?" Peyton asked. "We can get more, right?"

"Uh, yeah, no we can't. The gods shut themselves off again. They feel threatened by something." Percy said.

"So your telling me that I'm supposed to run an Infirmary without any kind of godly healer? What am I supposed to do?" Peyton asked. "We're going to need somebody to at _least_ get mortal supplies from the city."

"That's too dangerous-"

"I'll go," Will said, cutting Annabeth off. "I can take a couple people with me. And I mean, who knows? We could find di Angelo while were there."

Peyton tried to stop a blush from appearing on her face when Nico's name was mentioned. "Ok, who's going with you?"

"I will," Piper spoke up. "I'm sure Jason would, too."

"Yeah, defiantly." Jason gripped his girlfriend's hand. "Is that okay with you, Will?"

"Sure," Will stood. "We should go now, though. We need that before something else bad happens."

Chiron nodded, looking at the three demigods. "I agree with you, Will. You should all go now."

Peyton nodded at them, knowing her part was done. Turning to leave, she stopped when she felt Will's hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, looking at her eyes.

"I'm fine." Peyton replied. "I just need to get back to the Infirmary."

Will nodded, but he didn't believe her, and she knew it.

Peyton smiled at him before heading out, letting the door close behind him. She hadn't told anybody yet about her forever long crush on the son of Hades, so nobody knew why she was so paranoid and worried. And she intended to keep it that way.

On the way back to the Infirmary, she went slower then usual. The cold breeze from the lake blew up to where she was, drenching her in relief. Yes, she liked the Infirmary, but sometimes seeing that many wounds really got to her.

She stood still for a couple minutes, totally shutting out the world around her. Her eyes were clasped tight, tanned arms resting against her sides. Her hands almost shook when she thought of everything that was going on. Inside the Infirmary, she was in her own little world, and she rarely had processed or believed anything that they said. But now, seeing all the solemn Romans and few Greeks, it finally hit her.

"Peyton!"

Her eyes snapped open when her name was called. Looking to the source, she saw a Stoll beckoning to her.

Peyton ran over to him, who was standing over a fallen demigod. His brother was lying on the ground, grasping his ankle tightly.

"Ok, ok, just relax." she said, kneeling down next to him. "Can I see your ankle?"

Conner nodded, slowly removing his hands. At first sight, Peyton could tell that it was broken. The bone was poking out of the skin, slightly bleeding.

Peyton grabbed the Stoll's training towel off of the ground and wrapped it around his ankle to keep it in place.

"We need to get him to the Infirmary, now!" Peyton looked up at the growing crowd, feeling herself get nervous again. "Can someone carry him?"

"I have him," Travis picked up his brother.

"Be careful of his foot!" Peyton jumped up and rearranged the make shift bandage. "Gods, you can't just go juggling it around!"

She knew she was being mean, but she didn't care. She was too worried about Nico. He had never been away for this long before, especially after getting hurt that bad.

Peyton felt tears rise when she thought of that night, but quickly wiped them away. His blood had been everywhere, just pouring out of him. It was like a red waterfall, staining the Infirmary floor. Eventually, they had gotten it to stop, but the stain was still there.

"Peyton!? Are you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there." Peyton called, still standing still. His black eyes were still in her mind, just the way they had been when he kissed her for the first time. Nobody had known about it, but it still brought butterflies to her stomach.

"Peyton!"

She snapped out of it, looking at the far off Stoll. "Coming!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10- Bodies

When they got to the Infirmary, Peyton had Travis set Conner down on one of the free cots.

"Now leave!" Peyton glared at Travis. "Your taking up too much space in here!"

Travis bit his lip like he wanted to retort but thought better of it, walking out of the Infirmary.

"Conner how did you do this?" Peyton asked, taking the towel off.

"Travis tripped me, on a hill!" Conner yelped when she touched it. "I hurt my shoulder, too."

"Can I get some wet towels over here?!" Peyton yelled over the noise, nodding at Conner. They had had the Aphrodite girls start to help, but they only got in the way, complaining about the smell or how they broke a nail. Peyton had lost her patience with all of them, finally kicking them out. Now, she kind of regretted it. They needed more people.

"I'll get them!" someone yelled. She couldn't see who it was, but she trusted that they would get them to her. She went to look at Conner's shoulder, seeing that it was out of its socket.

"You popped it out of place." Peyton said. "Way to go."

"Hey! I didn't mean to!" Conner replied.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Okay, on three. One, two-"

She twisted the arm, popping the shoulder back in place. Conner yelled in pain, catching some people's attention.

"Will you be quiet?" Peyton asked, annoyed. "It did not hurt that bad."

"Why didn't you wait until you reached three?" Conner asked.

"Because I didn't have time." Peyton replied, putting the arm in a sling. "And until we figure out what we can do with you ankle, you're going to stay here."

"Why can't I have ambrosia?" Conner asked. "We had a prank planed for tonight!'

"Then Travis shouldn't have tripped you, should he?" Peyton asked. "We're out."

"What about nectar?"

"Out."

"Seriously?!" Conner sat up. "That's not fair!"

"That's not fair to me! It means this place is going to be a lot more crowded then usual. Now I have to go." Peyton walked off to the next patient, her mind not really in it.

Then, all at once, another wave of people came in. She thought she would have been used to this by now, but she thought wrong. Everywhere she turned, someone was calling her name. There was broken bones, sword wounds, people bleeding from every place in their body. At times like these, she wished Will was there to help.

She looked to where she heard screaming and rushed over. Someone was lied on the cot, unrecognizable by the sheer amount of blood. Their left leg was the thing that caught the most of Peyton's attention. It was split right down the middle, bones totally shattered.

She saw that someone had vomited, and she didn't blame them. She, too, had to swallow her own.

"Everybody out!" Peyton yelled over the patient's screaming. "Now!"

"But, we need to stay with her!" Annabeth said. "She's in pain!"

"You think I don't see that?" Peyton asked, pushing her aside so she could get to the leg. "Who is it?"

"Lou Ellen." Annabeth answered. "You know, from the Hecate cabin?"

"I know who Lou Ellen is, Annabeth. I'm not an idiot." Peyton rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure about that?" Annabeth asked, crossing her arms. "Look, I want to stay with my friend."

"Well, you don't get everything you want, Annabeth. There is absolutely no room in here for any extra person. And if you call me an idiot one more time, I swear to the gods you will be the one in here. Got it?" Peyton turned toward Annabeth, her eyes darker than usual.

"Come on, Annabeth, let's just go." Percy asked, taking her arm. "Please?"

Annabeth looked up at him, her eyes narrowed from anger. "Fine, but I'm coming back to check on her."

"Not until I say so." Peyton turned back to Lou Ellen. "This will definitely be a while."

She felt the group of people leaving behind her and sighed in relief. No matter how hard she tried, she could not work with that many people watching her. They made her nervous and more likely to mess up.

"Lou Ellen, can you tell me how this happened?" Peyton asked, trying to get the girl to stop screaming. When she stopped but didn't answer, Peyton looked up at the unconscious form.

"She passed out from the pain!" Peyton yelled for more help.

Will sat in the taxi between Jason Grace and Piper McLean. He didn't really know any of them, so there was definitely awkwardness in the air. Instead of trying to make conversation, he focused his mind on his task and just looked forward, keeping an eye out for any kind of monsters.

"Will, are you okay?" Piper asked after a while. "Your acting weird."

"I am not!" Will replied. "I'm just thinking."

"About?" Jason asked, glancing over at him.

"I don't know, everything. Like, can Peyton run the Infirmary? Or why was she acting weird? Are we going to get killed by monsters?" Will said the last one quietly so the taxi driver wouldn't here.

"We're not going to get killed by monsters." Jason said. "Just relax. Who is Peyton?"

"The girl with the white hair." Piper replied. "Where have you been?"

"It's blond, but yeah. That's her." Will said. "Jason, she's the one that said we were out of ambrosia and nectar. She's second in command there."

"Oh, ok." Jason scratched his head. "Well, I know she kicks everybody out if they're not hurt. Is that good or bad?"

"That's good. That means she won't have distractions and there will be enough room for the patients and the rest of my cabin. We have all of our people working, so it's a full house." Will explained. "It's just, she does it in a mean way. She loses her temper very quickly. Not to mention her and Annabeth are like, at war."

"Really? Why?" Piper asked. "Annabeth's a nice person."

Will looked over at her. "To people she likes. She doesn't like Peyton and Peyton doesn't like her. It's always been that way. Especially since they've been at camp the longest."

"Annabeth's twenty six, and she's been here since she was seven, so that means she's been here for nineteen years. How old is Peyton?" Piper asked.

"Fifteen. She's been here since she was two. That's thirteen years, but there is a big age difference between them."

"Since she was two? Seriously?" Jason asked. "How is that even possible?"

"Her mom brought her to camp when she was two and died a couple days later. She just grew up with the others watching out for her." Will stated.

"Guys, we're here." Piper broke in.

They paid the taxi driver before stepping out onto the streets of New York.

"I already have a bad feeling." Jason muttered.

"We need to keep moving if were going to avoid monsters." Will said. "Come on, I have the money. We just need to find a store."

The sidewalks were tight and packed filled with mortals. They went in store after store, but none sold what they needed.

"Guys, I don't think were going to find anything tonight." Will said. "You know, we could-"

"What was that?" Piper snapped her head toward a nearby alley. The footsteps had faded, but tracks of blood were in their place.

"Looks like your feeling was right, Jason." Will whispered, entering the dark alley. "Hey, anybody there!?"

It was silent for a moment, Will just staring into the dark.

"Will, I think we should-"

Piper was cut off when a little girl ran out of the alley, only about ten years old. She was covered in blood, head to toe, but she seemed to be fine.

"Who are you?!" Will asked, looking down at the girl. "Are you alright?"

The girl only shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. Shakily, she drew a hand up and pointed with fear behind Will and down the alley.

"What is it? What do you see?" Will asked, completely oblivious to what was happening behind him.

"Will, look out!" Jason saw it first, spreading his arm out as if to save Will, but he was too late. The thing came out of nowhere, striking and leaving as fast as that.

Leaving Will's beheaded body.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11- Is There Anybody Out There?

Peyton stared down at the corpse in front of her.

The corpse of Lou Ellen.

Her hands shook, the shock of losing her first patient getting to her. Her hospital top and jean shorts were covered in blood, sticking to her tanned body. No matter how fast she had worked, she just wasn't good enough. Lou Ellen had been too hurt, too broken. She couldn't have fixed her.

The Apollo girl behind her called time of death, but Peyton didn't realize. Instead, she tried to keep the tears from falling and the vomit from coming up.

Lou Ellen was dead, and it was all her fault.

Peyton ran past the others and out of the Infirmary doors, collapsing on the first step. Unwillingly, she vomited a couple of times, her body shaking uncontrollably. When her stomach was empty she started to sob, her chest aching with the effort. She didn't care that she was getting blood everywhere or that people were staring. No, instead, she focused on the fact that the young girl's death was on _her_ , nobody else. She was the one who refused help, even when she tried to control the blood loss. She had stood there, blood soaked towels in her hand, realizing that she _couldn't_ do it. She stood there and watched as her last breath left her body.

Peyton looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder, seeing Reyna's emotionless face.

"You couldn't have saved her. It isn't your fault." she said, sitting down beside her. "You were in over your head. Even when I saw her being carried to the Infirmary, I knew that she couldn't survive. You just don't survive something like that."

"Yes, you can." Peyton replied, looking up at Reyna's eyes. "I amputated her leg. I _cut her leg off_. That was what caused the blood loss, and we both know it."

"Will would have cut the leg off too," Reyna offered. "There was no way it could have been fixed. It was mangled beyond recognition."

"I probably did it wrong, though. I mean, I could have messed up any number of things. What if I made a mistake? What if I killed her?" she was sobbing again, her feelings pouring out of her. Reyna only embraced her, glaring at anyone who looked at her bad.

After about ten minutes, Peyton stopped, her throat hoarse and raw. She hastily rubbed her hand over her eyes, clearing her tears. It was the first time in a while she had broken down, and it embarrassed her that all the other campers had seen it.

"You okay, now?" Reyna asked, taking her arms off the younger girl.

Peyton nodded, her buttoned nose red from crying. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry that hard."

She stood up and tried to get past Reyna, but she was faster.

"It's okay, you know. Everybody cries sometimes. You had a reason to." Reyna assured her.

Peyton rolled her crimson lined eyes, looking away from Reyna and into the Infirmary. The floors were splashed with blood, but everybody just moved out of the way from the ones who were cleaning it. It was still too busy to stop because of a death.

"I have to get back to work," Peyton said. "I'll see you later."

"Peyton, you know you're not fit for treating patients right now. Why don't you go take a shower, and rest? How long has it been since you've slept?"

"The last time somebody fell asleep while running the Infirmary, Nico di Angelo disappeared." Peyton half-answered, walking away from the Roman praetor.

Nico didn't know where he was.

He had gotten used to reading lips by then, fully understanding Allyson when she was talking. Now, though, there was no one to read lips of. The space was small, just enough for Nico to stand up. Even if he could have gotten out of his chains, he wouldn't have been able to lay down. His hands were tied way above his head, creating an almost medieval feeling. It was pitch black, so that sense was also gone. Now, all he had was taste, touch, and smell, which weren't helping him much.

He knew that his bare back was pressed against a stone wall, creating scratches that he could feel bleed constantly. He could also feel sweat pants tied with a cord around his waist, barely staying up by his sharp hip bones. His feet barely touched the floor, which kept him in constant agony of hanging by his wrists and being stretched alive.

His mouth was dry and bloody; his body had taken a beating, but he couldn't remember it. He was sore and tired, weary and exhausted. He didn't know how long he had been in there, but he knew he couldn't go much longer without food or water. His thoughts were running constantly through his head, creating illusions and hallucinations. Half the time he thought he saw a silhouette in the corner, the other half of time it was on the ceiling. He could never tell what it was, partly because that it was always on the edges of his vision, making his want to turn his head or look up, but his body was too worn out to move. Instead, he stood in constant limbo, waiting for a chance to sit down and rest his wrists, which he had felt when the bones finally popped. His tears had stopped falling awhile ago, and now all he did was pray to whatever god he could think of that Allyson was alive and safe.

What felt like days passed by, him just hanging there, pale and face violently bare. The son of Hades was losing his sanity more and more, seeing more and more. At one point, he imagined Percy and Annabeth, sitting together in the corner and laughing at some joke. Another time, he thought he was kissing Peyton again, looking into her auburn eyes. These tricks of his mind kept coming and going, getting more powerful each time. Soon, he started to believe what he saw and he started to imagine their voices, they way they sounded before his ears were gone. They had all been happy then, no worries on their shoulders. He didn't mind picturing them like that, because he couldn't stand to think what they were going through now.

Was Percy still a seaweed brain, or was he forced to grow up?  
Did Annabeth still care for studies or was she deprived of sleep, waiting for an inevitable battle?

Was Peyton still happy and sarcastic, ready to take anything on, or did her strong figure finally break?

Did Hazel still love the world, or was she finally exposed to something she could never find anything good in? Was she still innocent, like a small child?

Was there even anybody left?

Nico started to panic, not for himself, but for his friends. His family. For all he knew, they could be hurt, broken, damaged. They could be dead, and he would never know.

Was this how he was going to die? Was this how his story ended? A broken son of Hades, thinking himself mad? Living like a trapped animal, broken wrists and a scarred heart? Was he even going to be remembered, or would he die without a mark on the world? Would he die without a name?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12- Arguments and Defendants

Piper and Jason returned to camp with bags full of supplies and a girl beside them. Will's disappearance was defiantly noted, creating mixed feeling throughout the camp. Jason was going to go tell Peyton about her half brother's death, but Reyna had stopped him.

"Trust me when I say this, Jason." Reyna had put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Peyton can not take that right now. She's too unstable. If I had gotten my way, she wouldn't be seeing patients. She's running on no sleep in a week, barely any food or water, and no breaks or showers. You can't spring this on her like that. Just let her get through one more day before you tell her."

So, Jason didn't tell her, instead just dropping off the supplies and going to the Big House, where a council meeting was going on. He told them all what had happened, explaining Will's death and how they found Allyson, who had not left Piper's side in fear. Whatever she had saw, it scarred her.

"I'm going to take her to the Infirmary," Piper said, picking the girl up. "We need to make sure that all of this blood isn't her's."

Jason had nodded, watching Piper leave. The room was filled with panicking demigods, all terrified of what would happen next. Nobody could think of a way to stop the attacks or the disappearing demigods. Every night, one more was gone. Sometimes, he thought that they wouldn't solve it. That they would just keep losing people until they were all gone. It scared him, but he knew it would happen if they didn't start using their heads.

"What's up?" Peyton asked, walking over to Piper. When she saw the girl in Piper's arms, she froze.

"You're Allyson, right?" she asked.

Allyson nodded back, unable to take her arms from around Piper's neck.

"If your back, Nico is too?" Peyton asked, trying not to sound too eager.

Piper looked at her strangely, like her inner Aphrodite knew what had happened. "No, we only found Allyson."

Peyton's face dropped, becoming once more filled with exhaustion. "Ok, ok. Here, bring her over here. I'll look at her."

She led them over to a cot, where Piper sat down with the girl on her lap.

"Ok, Allyson, does anything hurt?" Peyton asked, kneeling next to them.

Allyson nodded her head, tears springing to her eyes.

Peyton glanced up at Piper, who wrapped the girl tighter in her arms. Ever since she had found her, Piper felt a sort of older-sister protectiveness.

"Where is that?" Peyton asked, taking her hair out of a ponytail and bun-ing it.

Allyson shook her head, new tears falling.

"Has she spoken yet?" Peyton asked, squinting her eyes in concentration.

"Not since we found her, no. She's been scared." Piper answered. "We still don't know what it was that scared her so bad, or who's blood this is. I don't think all of it is hers."

"No, it's not." Peyton replied, taking a swab and getting some off of her forehead. "See? You can tell by the color. This is red, but it's also tinted. I've only seen blood like this from certain demigods. Percy's is tainted green, every one of my half siblings' is tainted yellow, the Ares' kids' are tainted red, and Nico's is tainted black. It has something to do with the heredity and not getting any GNA from our godly parents."

"So, what color is this one?" Piper asked.

Peyton frowned. "I can't tell. The blood is so old that all of it is turning black. I can, however, run it by blood samples we have in here. We have a little blood from any patient that has ever been in here, and that is ever camper. Rose, run this by the blood samples!"

She handed it off to another Apollo demigod, who took it and left just as fast.

"Ok, Allyson, I know your scared. We all are, but you need to tell me where you're hurt. I can help you. You just need to tell me." Peyton said quietly, looking in the younger girl's eyes. "Can you tell me?"

Allyson drew her arms back and touched her back, wincing as she did so. Peyton nodded at her, noting how she moved her arm and where the problem probably was.

"Your back?" Peyton asked. "Can I see it?"

Allyson nodded, turning around so her back was facing Peyton.

"Thank you, Allyson." Peyton said, pulling the back of her shirt up. She had to peel some of it away since it was stuck to her skin from the dried blood.

When she did, her eyes widened and her faced paled. Piper, also looking, scooted away a couple feet.

"What is that?" she whispered.

Peyton didn't answer, drawing a wet rag and wiping away the blood so she could see better. When she could, she saw that, using a sword, somebody carved a phrase into her back, right in-between her shoulder blades. It read Rebel per l'umanita

"Greek letters," Peyton muttered, tracing her hand across it. "Translating the letters to English, it would say rebel per l'umanita, which I think is Italian."

"Do you know what it is in Italian?" Piper asked.

Peyton shook her head. "The only one I have ever known to have known Italian was….Nico di Angelo…."

Piper's eyes widened. "It couldn't have been him, right? I mean, for all we know, he wasn't even with her."

Rose came running back, the swab in her hand. "We have a match!"

Peyton snapped her head up, standing up to meet Rose.

"Who's is it?" Peyton asked, twisting the rag in her hands with worry.

Rose gulped. "You're not going to like this."

She pulled out a test-tube, the ones they used to store the blood in. Hands shaking, she handed it to Peyton.

When Peyton turned it over to see the name, she dropped it to the ground, the glass shattering on the floor. The little paper fell out, on it's surface reading 'Nico di Angelo'.

When Peyton didn't pick up the fallen object, Piper stood up and went to see what was going on. It couldn't be that bad, right?

She knelt down and carefully grabbed the piece of paper, noting the glass shards around it. When she saw the name, her hand flew to her mouth in shock.

"The campers have been suspicious of him for weeks, and I always stood up for him… but this, this is too much evidence."

"He didn't do it!" Peyton yelled, making Piper jump. Her eyes were hurt, but pride was still in them. "He would never do something like this! Think of how many times he's sacrificed for this camp!"

"Which have easily been unnumbered by all the times he betrayed us…" Michael Yew muttered from a nearby cot. Looking around, Piper could see that the whole Infirmary had been listening in.

"Michael…" Peyton murmured. "You really believe those lies? What about the time he helped you and Will? You couldn't have stopped Octavian without him."

"Peyton, why are you defending him? He let Octavian kill himself, not to mention killing Leo in the process. That's _two_ deaths on his hands, gods know there's more." Michael replied.

Peyton's face hardened. "Every. Single. Apollo kid. Here. Has had a death on their hands, not just Nico di Angelo. Every single one of you are responsible for someone's death, but nobody accuses you of treason. No, you guys are just left alone when all the blame goes on the son of Hades because he symbolizes death. He can't help that. It would be like me saying that Percy was the reason there was no hot water, or it was Thalia's fault there was a storm. We can't help who our parents are. If you want to not like him, well, I can't change your mind. But do not for one second blame every single thing on him because of his father. And if you do, you're no friend of mine. Michael, you can leave. You have no more business here. You, too, Piper. Leave the girl here, I need to stitch up her back."

Marcus leaned his head on his palm, half closing his eyes against the meeting. They were getting more frequent as the days went on, staring with fighting and ending in tears. Ever since the report from the Infirmary, they all were even more suspicious of Nico.

Marcus didn't really know the antisocial Goth, but he did know that he had been through a lot. Angry towards himself and others, Nico wasn't really that great to be around, so nobody really understood him except for his sister, Hazel, who stopped coming to the meetings and helped out in the Infirmary with Peyton Archer, who she got along splendidly with. Marcus thought half of it was because Peyton was one of the only ones at camp that believed Nico's innocence. Percy Jackson also did, but he didn't seem very sure about it. Marcus knew Nico had betrayed Percy in the past, and that made him believe the campers even more.  
His newfound girlfriend, Reyna Ramirez, elbowed him in the stomach, making him jolt awake. He gave him a look, telling him he could fall asleep, that it was too important.

Marcus sighed, lacing his fingers through her's. It felt like they were fighting ghosts, making their victory impossible. The constant worry and fear was also causing a sort of civil war in the camp, creating chaos and no order. If things kept going how they were, there wouldn't be a camp much longer.

"You know what?!" an Athena girl stood up, eyes angry and weary. "I'm done with this! While you guys sit here and argue until you're dead, I'm going to spend whatever time we have left with my family, at home. I found out my dad is dying, and I want to be with him, not here like a prisoner. So, goodbye…"

She left later that day, all her luggage with her. Nobody knew at the time, not even herself, but that was the last time she ever stepped foot in Camp Half-Blood. After she left, it gave more people the courage to. Each day, the camp got smaller and smaller.

"They're down to only a hundred demigods," Lindsey answered, prideful. "Going down at the second. Soon, they will all be gone, totally obligated. It will be easier to kill the powerful ones when they're all separated. This way, we can accomplish Luke's original plan, but going from a different path. This times, it's going to work."

"I hope so," her leader muttered. "If not, it's your life on the line."

Lindsey gulped, but nodded.

She smirked, her bright red lips contrasting against white teeth. "Good. Now, why don't you go and see where the girl is? We need to keep tabs on her if we are going to destroy her."

Lindsey nodded. "Yes, m'lady."

Peyton brought her knees to her chest, eyes locked on the window. The rain was coming down softly, creating a melancholy feeling to the night. She had already been crying, her tears falling down with every rain drop.

'Did Nico really do it?' she thought, but then shook her head. 'No, he couldn't have. Could he?'

Peyton had looked up the words on Allyson's back to see what they meant in Italian, and she hadn't told anybody. She didn't want to strengthen their belief in traitors. She wanted to prove Nico innocent, but that was proving to be a harder task every day. As more demigods looked into it, more and more evidence stacked up. Soon, she doubted herself, and then got angry for feeling that way. Deep in her heart, she knew Nico would never do anything like that.

Her head snapped up when Allyson started to have a nightmare. Quickly getting up, her hair falling loosely on her back, she ran to the girl's bed, seeing if she could figure out what terrified the girl so much.

"Hey, what's making you scared?" she asked. The girl kept twisting and turning, then finally yelling a name when she heard her question.

Nico di Angelo.

Peyton's blood ran cold, her face turning pale. Did he do it, after all?

Something heavy fell behind her, causing her to turn as fast as possible. Nobody was there, but a cart was knocked over, it's contents spilled across the floor. Peyton kept her eyes on it, looking for any movement of a hidden demigod, when she heard something else behind her.

She turned again to see Allyson still sleeping, but a dark figure over her. Peyton could tell that it was a boy, his figure short and worn down, like he had been repeatedly beaten. In his hands he held a knife, ready to strike the sleeping girl.

"Don't touch her!" Peyton yelled, fear overcoming her. "Don't you _dare_ touch her!"

The boy smirked, only his mouth visible under his hood. "And why is that?"

Peyton's blood ran cold, her fear rooting her to the spot. "N-Nico…?"

The boy laughed, chest heaving up and down. "Hello, Peyton Elizabeth Archer."

"H-How did you…?"

"That's none of your importance." he added. "All that I care about is stabbing this girl, and then you. Make it look like a homicide suicide. You know? I'll put your prints on the knife and then stab her and you with it. Then I'll leave it next to your body."

Peyton bit her lip, drawing blood. She had a plan, but it was stupid, idiotic.

She charged toward Nico, tackling him on the spot. The knife skittered away from them, coming to rest feet away.

"What do you think your doing?" he asked, wrestling with her.

"Saving my patient. I made an oath a long time ago to do _whatever_ I can to save a patient. I'm honoring that oath."

Peyton shot her head back when she heard rattling, like a dry laugh. The hood fell back, revealing the dead body of Annabeth Chase, decayed enough to see her bones.

Peyton fell back off of the corpse, the laughter still ringing from it's chest. Then, Annabeth's mouth opened, green mist coming from it.

' _I guess the site is still here. Apollo was wrong…"_

The voice echoed from the body, followed by the laughing. Then, they both vanished when the body did, revealing the regular floor. When she looked over at where the knife had been, that, too, was gone.

Peyton sat in that position, staring at the marks Allyson's back had left on her skin. She couldn't move or even breathe from the overwhelming fear. She couldn't explain anything that happened, even after she things kept falling all night after that. Beds would be pushed, mattresses flipped over. Carts and supplies were constantly thrown against the walls, spilling their contents everywhere. Yet, Peyton didn't realize that _she_ was in the center, silent crying from horror.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13- The Beginning of the End

When Percy walked into the Infirmary early the next day, he was met with Peyton sitting in a fetal position in the middle of the floor, hands over her ears. She was rocking back and forth, silently sobbing.

Reyna glanced over at Percy, her frown permanent on her face. They had come to tell Peyton that Will had died, but something else entirely was wrong.

"Peyton…?" Reyna asked, walking towards the girl.

Peyton started screaming, crying even more now. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Ma Nico mio caro, leave me alone!"

Reyna backed up, looking down palely at the young girl. "Percy, go get Chiron, now!"

"But, what's wrong with her?" Percy asked. "Was that Italian?!"

"Percy, go!" Reyna yelled.

Percy sprinted all the way.

By the time he came back with Chiron, some of the Apollo campers had already arrived for the morning. They, too, were staring at Peyton.

"What happened?" Chiron asked.

Reyna shrugged. "We don't know. We came in to tell her about Will and she was like this. She screamed something Italian at us. It included Nico's name, but she was telling him to leave her alone."

Chiron nodded, a frown on his face. "How long has it been since she's slept?"

Randal Wendalton, an Apollo camper, spoke up. "Twenty four days and five hours. We've been keeping time."

Percy's eyes widened, looking at the girl before him. No wonder she was like that.

Chiron sighed, hand pinching the bridge of his nose. "She's horribly sleep deprived. Give her something to make her sleep and lay her in a bed in the Big House."

Randal nodded, going to get a syringe of liquid. Carefully approaching the rocking girl, he went and put the shot in her arm, shooting the liquid in. Soon, Peyton was fast asleep in his arms. He then carried her to the Big House, leaving everybody else in the Infirmary.

"I'll stay here and help, today." Annabeth said. "It's not that crowded since there's not that many people left, but it still needs people."

Chiron nodded before leaving. Percy looked after him, noticing how he walked slower than ever and more sickly.

"Percy, you alright?"  
Percy realized that he zoned out, coming to when the blond daughter of Athena tapped his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Percy muttered. "Annabeth, do you really think we're going to get through this? I mean, really?"

Annabeth sighed, the cheerful mask slipping off. "I don't know, Percy."

Peyton's eyes snapped open, contacting with the white ceiling above her. Immediately, she knew she wasn't where she was supposed to be.

She sat up so fast her vision blackened, but she didn't care, nor wait for it to pass. She got out of the bed and ran out of the room, her bare feet hitting the hard floor of the hallway at an even rate.

Eventually, she made her way out of the Big House and onto the grass, running toward the Infirmary. She needed to be _there_ , caring for _her_ patients, not resting. She didn't need it.

She threw open the doors of the Infirmary, taking in everything before her, expecting it to be worse than when she left. Instead, she found few patients there and Percy and Annabeth running it.

"Guys, I am _so_ sorry for falling asleep. It won't happen again. You can go now," Peyton said in one breath, rushing in and checking on different things.

Annabeth didn't leave, instead looking closely at the girl before her. "Peyton, I know we haven't really gotten along in the past, but you need to listen to me now."

Peyton stopped, listening with her back to Annabeth, unwilling to let herself appear weak.

"Have you see yourself lately?" Annabeth continued. "You keep rushing around, pretending you can do everything and anything all by yourself, but that's a lie. Your human, Peyton, and that means you have limits. Will didn't expect you could do this all on your own, and you don't have to. You need to sit down and take care of yourself while we help out here."

Peyton was silent, staring into one of the mirrors on the walls. For the first time in a while, she let her mind stop working on overdrive and actually processed everything around her. She could see how greasy her hair was, knotted and tangled in a messy bun, falling out of the ends. Her auburn eyes were surrounded with dark circles, making them look darker than they actually were. Peyton's clothes were tattered and dirty, stained with blood. She looked small, like a child trying to act grown.

"Can't you see that I can't stop?" she asked, balling her fists. "I _can't_ stop! If I do, then all of this nightmare that everyone else is living through will become _my_ reality, and I can't deal with that! I'm not strong enough! You guys are, but I'm not! I'm not strong enough to accept that Nico's gone…"

Her voice broke, a sob echoing from her mouth. In seconds she was silently sobbing, only a few sound echoing from her shaking frame.

'Nico?' Percy mouthed, looking towards Annabeth. She didn't respond, instead walking toward Peyton.

Annabeth wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a hug. Peyton didn't pull away like she would usually do, but instead borrowed her head in Annabeth's shoulder, her cries becoming louder.

Percy stood awkwardly to the side, not really sure what to do in this situation. He just watched as he saw Peyton cry for the first time, her sobs getting worse as time went on. He could stop thinking about what she said, her words echoing in his mind.

She had said "Nico".

She missed him.

Yet, Percy knew it wasn't just that. They way she said his name, the tone of her voice, it was the same way he said Annabeth's. Peyton was in love with him, and for all he knew, he loved her back.

When he finally confronted her later about it, she agreed, her hair dripping wet from the first shower she had had in three weeks. She was laying on one of the cots, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

That was the first night she actually let herself sleep.

That was the night they figured out that on Allyson's back, the Italian translated into "Rebel for Humanity…", which Nico had been saying for so long.

That was also the night they found Thaila Grace's body, the lieutenant's crown replaced by writing all a crossed her scalp.

That was the night they found out it read:

"Humanity Is Finally Fighting Back"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14- The Beginning of the End (Part Two)

Looking back on it, Percy wished he could have stopped it. He wished that he could have saved his home, but it was too late now.

The day had started off okay, Percy and Annabeth working in the Infirmary, watching over the daughter of Thanatos. Allyson had become more mature everyday, helping out with patients and studying with Peyton, who started treating her as her own. Peyton taught her how to read and write, advancing the education Allyson never got.

"Twenty four," Allyson called out, swinging her legs as they hung off the side of the cot.

Peyton nodded, wrapping a bandage around Conner's arm. "What about five times five?"

"Twenty five." Allyson answered. "Five times six is thirty."

Peyton smiled. "Good,…"

"Percy!" a camper shouted from outside, running into the building. "There's something wrong with the barrier!"

"What'd you mean?" Percy asked, getting up from a chair in the corner. "What's wrong with it?"

"I can't explain it. Come on, we need you!"

Percy exchanged a look with Annabeth, both running out of the Infirmary, leaving Peyton alone with a couple injured demigods and Allyson.

"Should we go with them?" Allyson asked. "What if they get hurt?"

Peyton looked up at her, her auburn eyes gleaming from the lights overhead. It had been a few months since Thaila was found dead, from what she figured out to be a syringe full of poisonous liquid. Nico had been gone for almost six months, leaving her to wonder if she would ever really see him again. Most days, she excepted the fact that he was probably dead. Even Hazel, his half-sister, could find no trace of his soul, dead or alive. If another month went by, they would do his burial rights.

"Ok, let's go," Peyton said, standing up. She took her surgical gloves off, putting them on a side table. "You need to stay close to me, ok?"

Allyson nodded, jumping down off the bed.

Marcus watched from off to the side, trying to stay away from his life literally falling apart around him. With his own eyes, he watched as the barrier of Camp Half-Blood, the place he had called home for so long, the last place on earth safe for demigods, broke into shards, like glass dropped on the floor. Demigods could only look and stare as the life they had known totally disappeared, forever.

Marcus imagined it like it was 9/11. Just like the New Yorkers then, they sat and stared, not really believing it. They watched as the tragedy happened before them, too shocked to get out of the way. Yet, just like the terrorist attack, they didn't get out of the way in time. Like the first tower falling, the army of monsters came in at once, totally obliviating anything in their path.

Marcus ran.

As he was running, he met Peyton who was trying to get Allyson, who would not stop staring at the monsters. Seeing her expression, he picked up Allyson in his arms and gestured for Peyton to follow. Together they found the old armory, hiding under the weapons and shields.

Marcus could hear Peyton's labored breathing next to him matching his own. Tightly, he held Allyson in his arms, not taking any chance of her running off. It was too dangerous out there.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, pressed up together in silence, only the screaming and terror outside ringing its way in. Eventually, all the screaming stopped, heavy silence filling the air. When Peyton made to get up, Marcus pulled her back, shaking his head at her.

The silence was too eerie.

Peyton nodded, crouching back down next to them. Marcus could see that she was scared, but she was trying hard not to show it. From the years he spent at Camp Half-Blood, he knew that she was like that. She would always try to not show her emotions, making herself almost like a robot. She was scared to get hurt, and he knew it.

Marcus didn't know how long they sat there, but it had to have been for hours. His legs cramped underneath him, but he dared not move. Not hearing _anything_ outside scared him.

Like there was no one left.

Marcus' head snapped up when he heard the scream for the first time. It was screeching in an almost inhuman way, like it was being tortured, but by what, Marcus didn't know. Peyton had also looked up, but her face had gone deathly pale.

"I have to help them!" Peyton whispered, moving in an agitated way. "Someone's hurt! I need to help them!"

"Peyton, I am not letting you go out there!" Marcus whispered back, gripping her arm. "You could get hurt, or-"

Another scream cut him off, this one more agonizing then the first. It echoed off the shields and weapons, making the sound louder in their ears. Whoever was being hurt that badly was probably wishing for death.

Peyton jumped up, dancing away from Marcus' grip. Looking back at him, she smile a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, but I _have_ to help him. I can't stand to hear him so hurt. Don't you get it? I'm a healer, not a fighter. I wasn't meant to be hearing these things and letting them slip by. I _can't_ ignore him. It's in my blood. So, if I don't come back, watch over Allyson for me, okay?"

"Peyton, _please_." Marcus pleaded, hugging Allyson tighter. "You can't go. Think about Allyson. What would she do with both you and Nico gone?"

"I already said, she has you." Peyton replied. "I-"

The scream came again, piercing the air with the most excruciating wail Marcus had ever heard in his life. Peyton visibly cringed, like she was also feeling that pain. Looking back at Allyson and Marcus one last time, she ran off out of the shed.

Peyton ran into the clearing, her heartbeat thundering in her chest. When someone else was suffering, she could physically feel it in her chest. All along, she had been told that she was too innocent for a demigod. She was too sensitive to death and suffering, but she never took it as a bad thing until now.

Before they noticed her, she stopped, her bare feet brewing up dust from the ground. What she found was something she never expected.

A wooden stake was set up in the clearing, like they used to use to burn witches. Strapped to it with staples, ropes, and anything else they could find, was Nico di Angelo, missing son of Hades.

Blood covered his body, making him almost unrecognizable. His torso was bare, showing signs of repeated beatings and clubbing. He was slouched in pain, unable to hold himself up. Looking utterly miserable, he looked like he had just been through Tartarus.

A demigod, dressed in black, head to toe, stood before him. Peyton could not make out who it was because of the hood over their head, but she could see that it was a girl. She had a spiked whip in her hand, taunting him with it. Peyton could see that it had took chunks of his flesh off, it clinging to the whip.

The girl raised it, ready to strike again. Before she could however, Peyton knew she had to stop it.

"Stop!" she screamed, holding her hands out. As soon as she did, she regretted it. All the heads turned toward her, the girl's smirk visible under the hood she saw in her vision.

There was no going back now.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15-

"Well, well, look what we have here." Lindsey smirked, lowering the flog and pacing in front of Peyton. "Little girl, you have no business here."

"I'm not a little girl." Peyton replied, glaring at her. "And I _do_ have business here."

"What? Risking your life for someone you love, like a foolish child? You have no idea what love really is."

"I doubt that." Peyton looked over her shoulder and at Nico, who barely seemed conscious. His head was laying on his chest, so she couldn't see his face, but she could tell that he was still awake. As soon as he heard her voice, his weary body relaxed with relief and then froze with fear.

He was scared for her.

Lindsey was laughing, twisting the whip in her hand. "You actually think that love can save him? It's cute, really. I hope you know that he isn't _going_ to be saved. The son of Hades will be dead in the next hour, we're just making it as painful as possible. He deserves it. All those months locked up, no food and water, and he still had the nerve to think that he could fight us. Pathetic."

She lashed the whip out with her last word, letting it stick in his skin before pulling it back. Without energy to even scream anymore, Nico's body took the beating. Even when it pulled chunks of flesh with it, the blood pouring out like a fountain, he could only half-way clench his fists.

Lindsey smirked, inspecting the human tissue on the flog. "Contain her."

Before Peyton could move, two guards grabbed both of her arms, each one dressed in black. Peyton hadn't noticed them standing right behind her, waiting for the command.

She tried to fight, but it was hopeless. They tied her up right next to Nico, nailing her clothes so she would stay up right. Looking around, she saw that there was a small army of them, all dressed the same. No faces showed but Lindsey's, who's hood had fallen off.

Peyton looked over at Nico, who was attempting to look at her, but to no avail. Peyton reached out her hand, gripping his. It was tied around the poll, but she still managed to create a relaxing grip on it.

"You know, you won't get away with this." Peyton looked down at the girl, twisting in her bonds. "The other demigods: they'll stop you."

Lindsey laughed, the sound echoing through the clearing. "You really think they can save you now?! They're dead! All dead! Every single one that would join the cause. We won!"

She was laughing hysterically now, tears streaming down her face. Peyton knew that she could be lying, but a small part in her knew that was wrong. They were gone, all of them.

Except for Marcus and Allyson.

"Well, if any were left, I would say for all of them to get out of here. I wouldn't want them to save me anyway. They should save themselves."

Peyton said this louder, hoping Marcus would catch her message in it.

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "You're not a fighter. You're not a hero. You never will be. I think we all would be happier if you were dead. I mean, you're no threat anyways. Just a healer, that's all. Nobody liked the healers, they were good for nothing. Just like your brother Will. I am so glad he was killed back in Manhattan."

"You killed Will?" Peyton asked, eyes clouding with tears. "Why didn't anybody tell me?!"

"Because, honey," Lindsey answered, "As I told you before, _no one_ likes you."

"I do."

Lindsey whipped around, clearing not expecting anybody else to be there. Standing in the clearing, blood dripping to the ground, was Nico di Angelo.

"What-?" Lindsey turned back to the stack, finding it empty. "How did you-?"

Nico smiled, blood stained on his teeth. " _Never_ mess with a son of Hades…"

Peyton wasn't sure what really happened next, but she could never forget how Nico used the shadows that day. The only word she could describe his as…was…monster. She hated herself for it, but it fit what she saw.

The shadows had came out like octopus tentacles, grabbing anybody in sight. Souls were ripped from bodies, causing inhumane screams to imitate from these demigods. Once the soul was out of the body, it would melt in puddles of ash. Then, when all the others were gone, they grabbed Lindsey, holding her in place.

Nico walked up to her, his body slouching from pain. Anger was written all over his face, destroying what once was beautiful.

"I'm going to say this once, and you are going to listen and spread the words to your friends. Don't you ever, _ever_ mess with _my_ Peyton. And whoever does, they will wish their soul was destroyed."

Lindsey's body dissolved, her screaming the whole way. When she was finally just ashes on the ground, Nico looked up at Peyton, his hands visibly shaking.

"There's a hundred more deaths on my hands. They're pretty bloody, huh?"

Nico walked over to Peyton, unpinning her from the post. She was shaking, crying even, as shook wore off and she collapsed in Nico's arms, fear overcoming her. He hugged her back, so forceful it was like he would never let go.

And Peyton was fine with that.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16- Still Human

Nico knew he acted fine about it, but he was only acting. Lying there, the blankets twisted around himself, he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he would think of a demigod he killed. Their deaths were on him.

He was a murderer.

After finding out that Percy and Annabeth were still alive, Peyton, Nico, Marcus, and Allyson all showed up at Percy's mom's apartment. There, the six demigods regrouped and laid down for the night, all sorrowful and scared about what had happened that day.

Nico was lying on the ground of the living room, a rolled up blanket underneath his head. When the supplies came down to Nico and Peyton, he gave the only remaining pillow to her. He had slept on the streets multiple times, with nothing, not even a blanket. He was used to it by now.

He flipped over on his side, facing the couch on which Peyton lay. On the floor between them was Allyson, her hair spread a crossed the ground. She was fast asleep, it being almost midnight. Nico smiled warmly at the girl, tucking the blanket around her. When he looked up, Peyton had her eyes open, watching him.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, careful not to wake Allyson.

Peyton shrugged, sitting up. "I can't sleep."

"I'm surprised anybody is," Nico replied. "The nightmares are bad tonight."

"Trust me, I know." Peyton answered. "Do you think there's a snack in the kitchen? We can sit down and talk about this."

Nico nodded, carefully standing up. He untied the blankets around his legs and followed Peyton into the small kitchen, turning the light on.

Peyton open the fridge, peering inside while Nico turning the coffee pot on, starting to brew a pot.

"You never really told me what happened…" Peyton said, looking over at him. "You know, all those months you were gone. That girl, Lindsey, said they imprisoned you, but that's all I know."

Nico kept his back to her, but he had stopped making the coffee. His hands were shaking, his body shutting down as he remember the experience. All those days of torture, the cruel laughs as they made more and more scars….

"I'm fine," Nico answered shakily, keeping his eyes downcast on the counter.

He heard Peyton scoff, closing the refrigerator door. "You and I both know that that was a lie. Come on, you can tell me the truth. You can trust me."

Nico looked over at her seeing that she was sitting at the kitchen table. "You really want to know the truth? Huh, Peyton? Those months of my life turned me into something I promised _never_ to be. A _monster_. You saw me today. You saw how many people I killed, feeling absolutely no mercy. You want to know what I was feeling when that was happening? 'Kill them. Kill them all.' Not 'protect Peyton', but 'kill them'. Doesn't that say something right there? What I went through, I can't talk about. I don't think I'll ever really be able to. Peyton, it was worse then _Tartarus_! I love you but I can't tell you!"

He slammed the pot on the counter, his anger leaving him as soon as he did so. After the loud outburst of noise, the kitchen was dead silent. Peyton didn't make any moves to answer, but sat still, eyes widened at his anger. Usually, Nico had a cool head. He wouldn't show any of his emotions, especially anger.

"I'm sorry," Nico said after a few minutes. "You don't deserve to be yelled at."

"No, I don't," Peyton answered. "And you don't deserve to be this hard on yourself. Come on, sit down and tell me anything you can."

Nico nodded, turning around before walking to the table, sitting down a crossed from her. "I'll start from the beginning, I guess?"

Peyton nodded, leaning on her head on her hands. "Wait, how can you hear me?"

Nico froze again, bringing a hand to his newly formed ear. "That's part of the story."

"Tell me now." Peyton replied.

Nico sighed. "They did it to me. Yes, it may seem like a good thing, but it was worse than any other pain. Peyton, it was terrible. I could actually feel my ear grow out of my head."

He wrapped his arms around himself, like he was cold. "Now, you want the whole story?"

Peyton looked shocked, but nodded again. "Yeah. I won't interrupt this time."

Nico nodded. "Well, it all started when I got my ears blown off in the first place. It was that night, and me and Allyson were laying in the Infirmary. I think that was when I realized that Allyson was Bianca, reborn into a new life."

"So that was true, then?" Peyton asked. "She's technically your sister?"

"Yep," Nico answered. "I finally have my sister back and I can't even enjoy it. But I knew I had to keep her safe, you know? I needed to protect her. I couldn't let her die again. That was why I took off that night and we shadow traveled to the first place after that. From there we just lived on the streets, me stealing any food possible. She had enough to eat, and that was all I cared about. I mean, it was my idea in the first place. I wasn't going to let her starve. But then, we got to San Francisco.

"She had ran into an alley, Allyson, so I followed. When I was in there, I couldn't find her. She was gone. Totally disappeared. I called her name a couple times, hoping she was playing a trick, but that wasn't it. Then, I found blood on the ground, and something hit me on the back of the head. That's when I went unconscious.

"I woke up in like, a prison or something. I sill couldn't hear at the time, and it was pitch black. I had on only sweat pants and I could move because I was trapped. That's why my wrists were broken. Thank the gods Percy's mom wrapped them, or I don't think I could have stood it. After a while, they came in. Lindsey."

Nico stopped talked, staring down a the table. Percy' s mom had fixed a lot of his injuries, ending with him covered in wraps, like a zombie. Yet, he didn't care. It hurt less.

"And then the thing happened you can't talk about." Peyton finished. "What about after it?"

"I woke up in the clearing, getting beaten so badly I couldn't breathe. You know everything from there."

"What about the attacks? The Italian?" Peyton asked.

"What are you talking about?" Nico asked. "What Italian?"

"You don't know…" Peyton realized. "Oh, thank the gods! You didn't do it!"

"Do what?" Nico asked, narrowing his eyebrows. "What have they blamed me for, now?"

Peyton told him everything, including the deaths and disappearances of the demigods. Then, she told him about her vision and what the corpse had said. He sat in silence the whole time, listening as she told her story and what the Greek writing translated to.

"Rebel per l'umanita…" Nico muttered. "Rebel for humanity. How did they know that?"

Peyton shrugged helplessly. "I don' t know. But since you used to say that everybody thought you did it."

"And you believed them?" Nico asked quietly. "You thought I killed them?"

Peyton's eyes watered. "Nobody's perfect, Nico. I stuck up for you, but more and more evidence kept stacking up. It seemed like it would have been impossible for you to _not_ have done it."

Nico was silent, staring at her.

"What?" Peyton asked defensively. "I can't help who I am. You just said you loved me! You can't blame me for this."

"I'm not blaming you for this." Nico answered. "I promise you, I'm not. I actually don't blame you for thinking that. Who knows, maybe I could have killed them I just killed all of those demigods today. I'm a monster, I told you that."

"You're not a monster." Peyton replied. "You have human blood in you, too."

"So?" Nico asked. "What's stopping me from going completely insane? Peyton, I saw things in there. Things that weren't there. I'm _still_ seeing them. Right now, I can see two eyes floating behind you. I know they're not there, but I can still see them. What's stopping me from totally losing my sanity, for good?"

Peyton instinctively looked behind her, seeing nothing. Looking back at Nico, her eyes softened at the spark in his eyes.

"Nico," she answered, "You still care if you are a monster or not. That means you're still human."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17- Fights and Quarrels

Percy listened to the conversation in the kitchen, crouching outside the door. Jumpy ever since the bomb, he had woken up the first time he heard voices. From there, he followed at a distance as Peyton and Nico entered the kitchen. Ever since, he listened as they exchanged stories. It was weird, them knowing each other so well. Back at camp, after the war when everything was peaceful, they hadn't been seen anywhere near each other. They were opposites: dark and light.

When they started whispering again, too quiet for Percy to hear, Percy opened the door and walked in, like he hadn't been listening at all. He faked surprise at seeing them there, smiling at the already brewed coffee.

"Didn't know you guys were up. You couldn't sleep either?" Percy asked, making himself a cup.

"Not a wink," Peyton replied. "Who knows when we will be able to."

Percy nodded, taking a seat next to Nico. After hearing his side of the story, this was his apology for blaming him. Nico looked over and nodded, excepting it.

"What do you think's going to happen now, after both camps are gone? Every single demigod is going to be hunted down until we're extinct." Percy said hopelessly. "You both know that."

Nico sighed, tracing the edge of his cup. "We can't let that happen. Yes, we may be the only ones left, but we're still alive. We haven't joined my father, yet."

"Yet." Peyton said. "Except for whoever is doing this, there is only six demigods alive. Not one Roman. How are we possible going to fight them all?"

It was silent, both boys knowing they couldn't argue with facts. Nico reached over and squeezed Peyton's hand, comforting her.

"Do you think we could stay here, Percy, until we die?" Nico asked. "I think we should all go down together."

Percy nodded, his face showing no signs of happiness. "I agree with you. We can survive together. If someone gets hurt, we have Peyton. We have enough food and water, and enough space for all of us to sleep. I can also heal with water. We all have who we need to have in our lives, except for Marcus. Nico, can you tell if Reyna's dead?'

"She is." Nico answered. "They all are."

The silence came again, them sitting together, trying not to waste the time they had left. Percy had his eyes closed, thinking his own thoughts. Peyton had her head rested on Nico's shoulder, slowly falling asleep. When she was asleep, Percy looked up at Nico.

"I've been wanting to talk to you, alone." Percy said, apologetically looking at him. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. I should have trusted you from the beginning. Ever since you were ten, I've been looking out for you like my own brother. I thought, 'how could you ever hurt me?'"

"Percy, I-"

"No, don't apologize." Percy held up his hand. "I trusted you. Then, you saved me from those skeletons. That built up that trust even more. Until-"

"You found out _I_ made the skeletons in the first place." Nico answered. "I put us both in danger just because of my anger issues."

"Nico, you were ten years old. Look how far you've come. I know you would never do that now." Percy replied. "Ever since then, I have watched you the best I could, trying to do the best for you. I should have known that there was no way you could have done all of that to people that weren't even threatening you."

"You think I'm comfortable with killing people, just because they're a threat?" Nico asked coldly. "Thanks a lot, Percy."

"That's not what I meant!" Percy replied. "I _know_ you're not comfortable with killing people. And I _know_ you never will be. I've seen you have nightmares about that one demigod that was threatening Reyna."

"Bryce Lawrence." Nico's voice wasn't friendly at all, anymore.

"Excuse me?" Percy asked.

"His name. Bryce Lawrence. He had a name, Percy. He was somebody's child. Somebody's son. Somebody named him that at birth, because they loved him. And I took all of that away. Try living with yourself after you do that, Percy. And now, I've done it a hundred more times." Nico replied.

"I know how you feel, Nico." Percy replied. "I-"

"No you don't!" Nico yelled, standing up. "You have _no idea_ what I'm feeling! Will you stop pretending that you know me?! You _do not_ know who I am, and you never will because you're to shallow headed to even think about stuff like this! So will you stop fooling yourself and let me suffer in peace?"

He left the room, not even trying to be quiet for the sleeping demigods. Peyton was awake again, eyeing Percy.

"You know he sensitive about stuff like that. Why did you bring it up?" she asked.

When Percy didn't answer, she shook her head, leaving the room through the same door as Nico. It was almost light by then, so Percy decided not to follow them. He would need to explain to Annabeth, who was just coming in the kitchen.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Peyton said, taking Nico's arm. "You need to let your anger out, and you're not going to do that watching over Allyson."

"Someone's got to." Nico replied. "I am _not_ leaving her alone with Percy."

"Because he speaks the truth?" Peyton asked. "He was trying to help you, Nico."

"What great help that was," Nico replied sarcastically. "You know he hates me. I can tell ever time he looks at me. He gets this disgusted look in his eyes, like he can actually see the blood on my hands."

"Ok, you know that's not true." Peyton replied. "In his mind, you're his brother."

Nico was silent, staring at the window. A tear made its way down his cheek, resting on his trembling lip.

"Why can't you guys just leave me alone?" Nico asked, his voice cracking. "I just got out of pure torture and you can't give me one second to myself."

"Because we're worried about you, Nico." Peyton answered. "I'm worried about you. You never used to act this way."

"Yeah, well, pain changes people." Nico said. "And they can never change back. You of all people should know this."

"Pain doesn't make you as mean as you've become. Look at you! You're picking a fight with anybody that dares speak to you. Are you _trying_ to distant yourself?" Peyton asked.

"What if I am?" Nico looked at her. "This way, if one of you dies then I want feel as bad. I won't get hurt. All I'm focused on is not getting hurt. I've had too much pain."

"We all have pain, Nico! You just need to suck it up! Until you die, you're stuck with me, and I'm not going to let you ignore me." Peyton said.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "You're stubborn."

Peyton smiled back. "You bet."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18- Pizza And Diseases

One Year Later

Percy yelped in pain, grasping the toe he stubbed. Looking down, he saw that Nico's book was on the ground, bookmark almost falling out. It had appeared on the doorstep a couple months before, saying it was from his dad, Hades. Ever since, Nico had had his nose in it. Looking over his shoulder, Percy had saw that it was on all types of monsters. Nico said he had left it back in his room in the Underworld.

Percy picked up the book, looking in the front cover. Careful not to ripe the old binding, Percy looked at what appeared to be old cursive.

Dear Nico,

Enjoy this but make sure you share it with you're sister. Bianca loves to read, just like you. Merry Christmas, I hope you enjoy it.

Love,

Momma

"Nico! You left you're book on the ground!" Percy called, stepping into the kitchen. "You guys got pizza without me?"

"You were too slow." Marcus replied. "How long does it take to come home from work?"

"For Percy, you would think he would have came home earlier." Nico answered, taking his book out of Percy's hands. "I thought I put this away."

"I was reading it." Allyson replied, pushing her glasses up. "Well, the front cover at least."

"I told you not to leave it on the floor." Nico answered. "It'll get ruined."

Allyson shrugged, biting into her pizza. They were all seated around the table, Marcus and Peyton playing cards. Percy smiled, thinking about that night a year before. Nico and him had made up, Nico apologizing for his anger. Ever sense, Percy just enjoyed the fact that they were all still alive and happy.

Percy sat down, taking a piece out of the box.

"Why is it all cheese?" Percy asked, looking at the multiple boxes.

"Because it's Friday, in Lent, and Allyson grew up practicing that stuff." Nico replied. "You can suck it up for one day."

Percy sighed. "Fine. Where's my mom?"

"Her and Paul went to her doctor." Peyton replied. "Which I find stupid. I could have diagnosed her."

She had been silent the whole time, only speaking up then. She looked worried, eyes darting around every other second.

"Diagnosed her?" Percy asked. "What are you talking about?"

"She won't tell us." Nico replied. "All she said was that something was wrong with her."

"Wrong? Is she going to be okay?" Percy asked.

"She'll be fine, Percy. She's not _dying_." Peyton answered. "Demon."

"Oh, come on!" Marcus shouted. "I was so close to going out."

"I can't help that." Peyton shrugged, gathering the cards on the table. "Look, Percy, she'll be fine. There's no need to worry."

"Ok," Percy sighed. "Did she say how long she was going to be?"

"Not long." Nico answered. "When she gets back we should do something. It's Friday and I'm bored."

He leaned back in his chair, putting his arms behind his head. Allyson was sitting beside him, reading the book.

"We could go to a movie." Percy answered. "There's that new one out."

"Marcus can't go to movies. He gets too excited." Allyson answered. "Remember when his hands caught fire?"

"That was a lot of Mist making." Peyton replied. "It tires me out."

"Do you have any better ideas?" Percy asked them.

"Why don't we just wait for your mom?" Peyton asked.

Percy sighed. "That's fine with me."

He sat there, watching Peyton beat Marcus in cards until his mom came home, Paul behind her. Her face was saddened, but when she saw them, a fake smile came up.

"Hey, guys," she said. "How's it going?"

"Fine, mom." Percy replied. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" she asked. "Hey Peyton, why don't we go talk? Then we can all go out later. You should wake Nico up, Percy. He's going to fall out of the chair."

Her and Peyton walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Percy sighed, kicking Nico's leg to wake him up. He knew something was wrong with his mom, but he didn't know how to make her tell him.

A couple minutes later, they came out of the bedroom. "Percy, Peyton thinks I should tell you."

"So there is something wrong?" Percy asked.

Sally nodded, grasping Paul's hand in her's. "Percy, it's not far along at all. In fact, it's only stage one."

"Cancer? You have cancer?" Percy asked, standing up. "Why did you tell me she was fine?"

"Percy, I caught it in time!" Peyton replied. "I could tell one morning, so I told her. This way, her doctor caught it in time. One round of chemo and it'll be gone."

Percy looked at his mom, asking for conformation. She nodded her head, hugging her son. "You know it's going to be fine. Just like Peyton said. One round of chemo and I'll be fine."

"Fine," Percy replied. "We should do something, get your mind off of it. I got my paycheck today, we should all go out for dinner."

Sally nodded. "I thought I told you to wake Nico up."

"I did! He fell back asleep." Percy replied. He went over and pushed the boy out of the chair, earning him a glare.

"You need to wake up, Nico." Percy said.

"Not in pain." he muttered.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19-

Sally Jackson died two months later.

Nico looked at himself in the mirror, the sadness from so long ago settling in again. Every time he looked at Percy now, he saw the same look in his eyes as he had after Bianca's death. He couldn't stand it, looking away as soon as possible. He didn't want to imagine Percy as sad as he had been.

Nico sighed, straightening the black tie that resided on is chest. The showing was today, and he really didn't want to go. It wasn't about the family or anything like that, but all the _ghosts_ that hung out at funeral homes. He had been to one before, and he had gotten a headache so bad that it forced him to leave in the middle, the ghosts having been too strong. Ever since, he made it a point to stay far away from them.

Yet, he _had_ to pay his respects. Sally had taken him in multiple times when he had no one and nowhere to go to. She would always make sure he had enough to eat and a roof over his head. She was his emotional brother's mother, if that made any sense. She deserved everybody there, and that meant everybody. Including him, the only son of Hades.

Because of the mirror, he saw the door open behind him, Allyson stepping in. Her dress was black and knee length, her shoes only a little heel. With her hair braided, she looked more like Bianca as he had ever seen her.

"Percy's ready." she said, closing the door behind her. "Beside him, you and Paul are probably the most hit by this. It's not a secret you haven't talked since. Yes, we noticed. How could we not? You hide yourself in here and won't talk to Percy whatsoever."

Nico sighed, still not opening his mouth. His throat was out of use, in fact not having been used since three days before. Now, he was scared his voice would crack, or not work all together. So, he stayed silent, using his fingers to brush through his hair.

"You know," Allyson continued, leaning against the wall. "Peyton's really worried about you. She said the last time you shut yourself off like this was when-"

"You died?" Nico asked. His voice was rough, barely heard. Yet, Allyson did, quieting down again.

"I asked you to stop talking to me like I'm Bianca." she answered. "I don't remember being her. No, instead, I remember growing up as _me_ , Allyson. Not _her_. I don't know anything about _her_."

Nico sighed, turning around to face her. "You know I don't mean to. I'm sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

"And that includes not looking at Percy once? He thinks you don't care at all about what happened." Allyson replied. "It's getting to where he doesn't trust you anymore."

"When has he ever fully trusted me?" Nico asked her. "There has always been that doubt, so he never really did. If I had even a little doubt about somebody, there would be no way to trust them, ever."

"That's because you're you." Allyson countered. "You have issues trusting people, but that's because of your past. Percy, he trusts everybody he can."

"Except for me." Nico said. "He trusts everybody but me."

"Are you mad at him or something?" Allyson asked.

"I'm not at _him_. Just mad."

"Your always mad and you don't act like this."

"I'm mad _for_ him!" Nico exploded. "I'm mad _for_ him! The life that happened to me is going to happen to him. He's much older, but it's going to happen. First, the mom dies, leaving you feeling hurt. Then, the dad acts like you don't exist, leaving you angry. Then, the sibling dies, leaving you broken. If that is all going to happen to Percy, I can't watch it."

"So you're going to make him believe that you hate him?" Allyson asked.

"It's less of pain for me. Can't you see that I can't do it? I _can't_ do it. I can't watch him become _me_ , a monster."

"Didn't you already have this discussion? You're not a monster." Allyson said.

"Yes, I am. I don't even care anymore. I'm a monster, sweet. No more pain for me. Because when you're a monster, there's no guilt. And with no guilt, you can do anything to get rid of the pain, even hurting others." Nico replied.

"So the way Percy's feeling, if you watch him you feel hurt, but if you don't he feels hurt. And you don't want to feel hurt so your letting him suffer."

"Exactly." Nico answered.

"What happened to you?!" Allyson yelled. "Seriously?! The Nico I knew would do _anything_ if it meant they weren't sad or hurt. _Anything_. And now, you're letting someone suffer just because it's more convenient for you?!"

"You keep asking me the same question, and I keep answering yes. Do you actually have a good question this time or is your brain too messed up from rebirth?" Nico asked. The room was silent, Allyson looking at Nico with sad eyes. "That's what I thought."

He slammed the door on the way out.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20- Faults and Defaults

Allyson knew it was her fault. It was all her fault.

She sat in the back row, watching as the family went by in waves. They were hugging, crying, as they circled Percy and Paul, offering their condolences. Nobody spoke to her, and she was fine with that. She knew that she caused all of it.

That day, she had seen the black cloud above Sally's head, but she hadn't said a word. No, instead, she watched as it became thicker and thicker as the days went by. Nico was angry at her, and if she had told anybody else, they would have thought she was insane. So she didn't say anything.

A single tear escaped from her eye and traced its way down her cheek, dripping without a sound onto her dress. If she had explained to Percy, maybe even Peyton, they could have believed her. They could have saved Sally. Or, they could think of her as another one to watch out for, like Nico. And she refused to be that.

Nico was next to her, head rested on the couch arm. Ever sense he had entered the funeral home, his head had been too bad to lift. He had sulked over to the couch and hadn't moved sense. They all left him alone, all of them hearing him yell earlier that day. Now, he was fast asleep.

"You okay?" Marcus asked, sitting on her other side. He had been by Percy's side, but now he didn't need to anymore. Family members from both his mother and Paul's side was doing anything they could for him.

Allyson sighed. "I'm fine, I guess. I just feel bad for Percy."

"I meant about earlier." Marcus replied. "Nico was really angry."

"Nico's always angry." Allyson answered.

It was silent after that, Marcus knowing she wouldn't talk. After awhile, he got back up and left, making his way back to Percy.

About an hour later, Peyton sat down next to her, crossing her legs as she did so. She didn't speak, nor try to communicate in any way. Instead, she leaned back and watched the funeral lay out before her, probably playing a game of who had what disease in her mind.

"Have you ever had something done to you that you've only told one other person?" Allyson asked.

Peyton looked over at her. "Marcus tried talking to you. I'm guessing you don't trust him enough?"

"Marcus told you to come over here?" Allyson asked.

Peyton shook her head. "No, but he did tell me that. He said something was wrong with you and you wouldn't tell him. You know you can tell me, though."

"I know," Allyson answered. "It's just, Nico has been the only one who hasn't treated my powers like I'm Tartarus' child. And I know that's because were both children of the Underworld. He understands me. And I know that if I told anybody else, they would think I was insane. I mean, I already have to wear gloves and long sleeves wherever I go. I'm as much of a monster as he is. _Every_ child of the Underworld is. It's in our blood."

"What power are you talking about?" Peyton asked.

Allyson's eyes filled with tears, her bottom, lip trembling. "I _know_ when people are going to die, okay? I _knew_ that she was going to die. Whenever someone is about to die, a black cloud forms over their heads. I inherited the power from my father, but Nico was the one that explained it to me. He told me that whenever I saw it, to tell him. But he was so mad at me, I couldn't tell him. I didn't want to get yelled at."

Peyton was silent, still staring straight ahead. Her face was expressionless, not giving off in the slightest what she was feeling.

"You probably think I'm terrible now, don't you? Well, I don't blame you." Allyson said.

"I don't think your terrible." Peyton replied. "You're too innocent for me to think that of you. And you're not a monster either. So isn't Nico. He put that idea in your head a long time ago and he needs to stop. No demigod is ever going to be a monster. He just says that so he can express how much he hates himself. And he does hate himself. You can see it on his face, in his eyes. He has so much anger that he has turned it on himself."

"And what are we supposed to do about him?" Allyson asked. "How do we help him?"

Peyton sighed. "All we can really do is support him. We need to show him that we love him and we will continue to love him. Hopefully, we can get through to him, before it's too late."

"Too late? What do you mean?" Allyson asked. When she looked over at Peyton, her eyes were glazed over. She seemed to be watching something that wasn't there. "Peyton!?"

No reply.

Allyson waved her hand in front of Peyton's face, but she didn't even flinch. The first thought that ran through her mind was that was what the oracle was described to have looked like when she saw the future, but she quickly brushed it off. Peyton couldn't see the future. It was impossible. The sight had been blocked long ago, and would never again be used.

Yet, Peyton as a daughter of Apollo. The _last_ daughter of Apollo. If anyone were to have the sight, it would be her. Yet, Allyson didn't believe it, instead getting up to find Marcus. To find help.

Marcus was standing by the casket, looking at the pictures that had be set up next to it. Every once in a while, he would stuff his hands in his pockets, no doubt keeping them from burning.

"Marcus!" Allyson cried, tugging on the older demigod's arm. "You need to help me!'

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked, focusing his attention on her.

"It's Peyton. Something's wrong with her!" Allyson explained. "There's no time to explain."

She dragged Marcus after her, through the crowds of people, and eventually to the bench. Nico was still asleep, and Peyton in the same position.

Marcus frowned, kneeling down in front of her. "Peyton?"

Again, they got no answer, Peyton's gaze unsettling. Marcus did what Allyson had done, waving his hand in front of her face. This time, Peyton jerked back, slamming her back into the bench. Her eyes were wide and frightened, looking around her like she didn't know where she was.

"Peyton, it's okay. It's me, Marcus." he said, holding his hands up.

Peyton looked down at him, visibly relaxing. Her eyes were focused again, her spirit back from wherever it went.

"Peyton, are you okay?" Marcus asked. "Are you starting to get visions again? I mean, the last one didn't even come true."

"The last one?" Allyson asked, but was ignored as the other two spoke.

"The last one was figurative, Marcus." Peyton replied. "The last one told of the camp being attacked and you know who being targeted."

"Who's being targeted?" Allyson asked again, again receiving no reply.

"So, you did have another one?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah," Peyton replied. "But this one seemed more real. And if it is, it's good news. Really good news."

"We could all do with that." Marcus agreed. "What happened?"

"We were wrong. All wrong." Peyton's eyes lit up, like they used to be before this all started.

"Peyton, tell us what you're talking about. We need good news, too." Allyson said.

Peyton looked at her, wrapping her arms around her in an embrace. "It's the others."

"What others?" Marcus asked. "You mean, the other demigods!?"

Peyton nodded, letting go of Allyson. "They're all alive. Leo's leading them with Reyna at his side…."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21- Denial. Grief. Anger.

Leo looked out at the surviving demigods, their faces grim but determined as they trudged along, making their way through the never ending forest. There was only about thirty demigods, but that was something, right? They were still together, and that was all that mattered.

Now, so long after the fall of Camp Half-Blood, they were making their way to New York, seeing if either their hopes were right or if they would get crushed. They were going to see if Percy Jackson was still alive.

"Are you okay, Leo?" Calypso asked, entwining her hand in his.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Leo laughed, looking at her. "We're alive, aren't we?"

Calypso smiled back at him. "Yes, we are."

"Leo, we need to go faster." Reyna called, walking up to him. "At this pace, we'll never make it to New York."

"Yeah, I know. But do you really think that Percy's alive? Or even Annabeth? I mean, I would even take di Angelo right now if it meant somebody powerful to protect us." Leo answered.

"We're fine, Leo." Reyna answered. "Besides, When was the last time you saw a monster?"

"But what about the ones that did this to us in the first place?" Leo asked. "They must have wanted to exterminate us. What are they doing now?"

"They destroyed two camps, Leo. They're probably lying low." Reyna answered. "We don't have time to discuss this. You may be one of the seven, but I'm praetor, and I say we need to go. Now. I don't like being in the woods."

"You shouldn't, you know. It's quite dangerous for someone like you."

Their heads snapped up, and there in the clearing stood a girl dressed in silver. Her black hair was in a braid, resting on her right shoulder. Her features were strangely familiar, like they had seen them on someone else. Her bow was notched, aiming at them.

Peyton regretted waking Nico up, even if it was good news. He only scowled at it and yelled at them for waking him up. Peyton had had enough of his behavior and dragged him outside so she could talk to him.

"What is going on with you?!" she asked, glaring at her boyfriend. "And I don't want these lies that you keep coming up with. Tell me the truth."

"Nothing is wrong!" Nico replied, gesturing with his hands like he did when he got upset. "You all keep saying that!"

"Because something _is_ wrong, Nico! You're acting like we killed you're sister! You won't look at Percy, you yelled at Allyson-"

"You know-"

"Don't interrupt me, Nico! You know what's going on! You can't even _speak_ to me without looking disgusted! Why don't you just tell me already? What did I do to you?!" Peyton yelled.

" _This_. This is what you did, Peyton. Can't you stop yelling at me?! You think you can fix everything and everyone but you can't! You're wrong! You can't fix me, and I think you've known that all along. My question is: why do you keep trying?" Nico asked.

"If I knew that you were unfixable," Peyton replied, voice lowered and cold. "Then I would have stopped myself from _ever_ falling in love with you."

She walked back in, slamming the door behind her. Nico was left outside, the early spring air biting against his skin. Easter had passed, but they hadn't celebrated it. Nobody was ever in the mood. Especially not Nico. Every single thing one of them did, it annoyed him to no end. They were stupid, in his mind, to think they could go on living all happy and joyous. Shouldn't they have known that pain would catch up with them, sooner or later?

Nico bit his lip, drawing blood. He hated fighting with them, especially Peyton and Allyson. Yet, he found it hard to look at Allyson. He couldn't help but be reminded of the sister that he had lost all those years ago. He knew it wouldn't leave him alone, eventually catching up with him when he least expected it. At first, he thought that Allyson had been a gift, he could see his sister again. Yet, now that he thought about it, Allyson was only bringing him and every other demigod pain. Ever since she showed up, they continued to get destroyed little by little, until their very homes were ruined. She had caused him to run away, taking him away from moments he could have spent with Hazel. Now, he didn't know if she was alive or dead. Ever since the gods broke off contact, his sense of the dead disappeared with them. He had said he felt their deaths, but he hadn't. He hadn't felt anything, even when the Aphrodite girls exploded in front of him.

Nico sighed, sitting down on the front steps. He knew he was being mean to them, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't control himself. Everything he did wasn't _him_. He felt like he had when Bianca had first died.

Denial.

Grief.

Anger.

The emotions swarm through him, created by what, he didn't know. They clouded his judgment, making him lash out with them without even realizing it. But he had to get rid of them somehow, right? Was that the only way, taking them out on others?

No, he realized, shaking his head. That wasn't the way. It couldn't be. He cared about these people. They were the only ones left who cared about him. He couldn't hurt them, and he knew that, but wasn't that what he had been doing all along? Wasn't that what he was known for? The betraying son of Hades. That was who he was. That's who fate twisted him into being.

Nico brought his fists up to his head and pressed on it, trying to clear the overwhelming thoughts. It that moment, sitting on the porch of a funeral home with tears running down his cheeks and emotions pouring out of him through his aura, he made an oath. Right there, by himself in a sea of surging humanity. He made an oath to never, ever, hurt the ones he loved again. And this time, he would keep it, even if it killed him. He knew that, because he made himself promise on the River Styx.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22-

"Who are you?" Leo asked, staring up at the girl. Her bow was still notched, aiming down at the group of demigods, who were all frozen in fear.

"You don't know who I am? I didn't die _that_ young, did I?" It wasn't a question, but more of a way to scare them. With one simple statement, she let them know that she was one of the undead.

Leo, looking at the girl, noticed her eyes were bright green, illuminating against the dark forest. With a shiver, Leo remember when they were possessed by the eidolons. Eyes, a different color, yet the same in the inhumane presence that imitated from them. He didn't know who the girl was, but he knew that she was possessed.

"I can't believe Nico didn't tell you about me," the girl continued, keeping the bow up in the process. "He never was a big talker, though. Always keeping to himself. It's a wonder how he ever found love."

"Nico, Nico di Angelo?" Reyna asked from beside him.

"The one and only." the girl sighed. "Even though dad would rather have had me live then him. Nico was never really that great in dad's eyes."

Leo's blood ran cold, realization coming over him. "It's impossible."

"What is, Leo Valdez?" she smirked. "Is anything ever impossible anymore?"

"Leo, what is it?" Reyna asked, glancing over at him. "Who is she?"

Leo shook his head, trying to come up with any other solution.

"What, scared of ghosts?" she taunted, pale lips stretched into a smile. The pale lips they had all seen before.

"Leo, tell me now." Reyna commanded, looking in his eyes. "Who is that?"

"I'm surprised." she laughed at the expressions below. "None of you ever heard of Nico's older sister? Does the name Bianca ring any bells?"

She let go of the bow, letting the arrow fly.

Nico awoke to screaming.

He jumped out of the bed, careful not to step on Marcus, who was sleeping on the floor. When Nico opened the door, however, Marcus also woke up. In an instant he was wide awake, enough training as a demigod to know that somebody was in danger.

Nico ran down the hall and into the living room, where he saw Peyton leaned over the sleeping Allyson, trying to wake her from her sleep. Yet, however, she kept her hands back, refusing to touch her.

"What's wrong with her?" Nico asked, running to Allyson's side. Her screams echoes in his brain, and all his thoughts focused on saving her. Nothing else seemed to matter then.

"I don't know." Peyton replied. "Just don't touch her, okay? Something's wrong with her skin."

Nico looked confused, but when Marcus turned on the lights, Nico saw what Peyton meant. Smoke rose from Allyson's skin, which was bright red and bubbling. Her screams never died down and were never stopped for even a breath.

Soon, Percy came running in, Annabeth behind him. "What's going on?!"

Nico didn't answer, but instead stared down at Allyson. Ever since he met her, he did everything his power to protect her, even if it meant risking his life. Yet, now he stood powerless, looking down as her skin started to melt away.

Then, before Percy had a chance to even come close, the screams stopped. When Nico cleared his tear filled vision with the back of his hand, he saw why. There, laying on the floor in front of him, he saw that she was dying. He could tell by looking at her. Her chest rose and fell in deep, slow breaths. Her face was paler than usual, and her eyelids stopped fluttering and remained closed.

Nico, not caring what her skin would do to him, picked the girl up in his arms and held her close to him, letting his tears fall on her face. When they did, her face relaxed, as if the coldness stopped the heating of her skin. Then, all at once, he felt something he didn't think he could ever explain. The sensation happened all at once, and when it was over, he could see what Allyson had always described. Right above the girl's head, a dark mass was situated. It was darker than anything he had ever seen, and then it was gone. At that moment, he also felt her last breath leave her body.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23-

"She's dead." Nico spoke up at the others, who were seated around him. "She's dead."

"We know, Nico." Peyton whispered, putting her hand on his shoulder. She drew it back immediately, looking at the reddening skin. "What the-?"

"She gave me her powers," Nico said. His voice was clogged with emotions. "I-I can see the clouds. I can feel the death running through my veins."

"That's impossible." Annabeth stated. "Demigods can't _give_ each other powers."

"We're you not listening?!" Nico yelled. "She did, okay? I can't change that for logic!"

"Nico, we're not calling you a liar." Peyton replied.

"Yeah, _she_ is." Nico shot back. "You think I'm _lying_ about this, Annabeth? Well, it certainly wouldn't be the first. But can I ask you one question? Why don't you pay attention to yourself for once in your short, miserable life? _You_ are the one that needs mental help, you stupid-"

"Nico!" Percy yelled. "Just stop, okay? We know you're grieving over Allyson, but that doesn't mean you can say those things to Annabeth."

"Of course, you defend Annabeth." Nico replied. "When have you even done anything different? You _hate_ me just because she does! Ever since you found me you have always had at least a little dislike for me. The only time you probably ever were thankful for me was when I was saving you and your 'army' in the war!"

Percy started to talk again, but Peyton cut him off. "Percy, just don't fight with him, okay? He's hurting."

"I'm not hurting!" "He's not hurting!" They both yelled, glaring at each other.

"Yes, you are." Peyton replied, keeping her voice cool and low, but inside she was screaming. Allyson, the one she thought as her own daughter, was dead, laying in her boyfriend's arms…..

She abruptly stood up, causing the other's to jump at her sudden action. She needed to leave, get out of there. There was too many faces, too little space. Everything was closing in around her and she couldn't breathe. No, she couldn't let them see her cry. 'Don't let them see you cry. Don't let them see you cry…'

A sob escaped her lips before she ran to the door, hastily opening it. However, she stopped short from running out when she saw Reyna there, blood smeared on her face, hand poised to knock.

"Reyna!" Percy stood up, looking at the girl. "You're alive!"

She glanced at Peyton before walking past her and into the room, were she sat down next to Nico. Looking down at the body in his arms, her face became more strained.

"What happened?" she asked.

Nico opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again. Instead, he looked up at Peyton, who was still in the doorway, her back to them. Silently, her shoulders shook from sobs.

Nico moved to get up to hug her, but stopped while looking at his hands. He couldn't touch her, and he wouldn't put Allyson's body down.

"Reyna, go hug her." Nico said, looking at her.

"Excuse me?" she asked, looking down at him. "I don't even know the girl!"

" _I can't_." he growled. "I _can't_ hug her because now _I_ have Allyson's abilities, okay?"

Reyna looked angry about it, but she got up and walked over to Peyton, who tried her hardest to stop the tears from falling, but only resulted in creating new ones. Reyna awkwardly put her arms around her, Peyton burying her head in Reyna's shoulder.

"Now what are we going to do?" Percy asked, looking at all of them. "Obviously, something's happening. Nobody just dies like that."

Nico was about to retort, but stopped, knowing that fighting wouldn't help anything. Instead, he looked hopelessly at Reyna.

"Reyna, what happened?" he asked. Peyton was finally calming down, but she wouldn't let go of Reyna's shirt.

"It's a long story," she stated. "But you have some demigods waiting for us, outside."

"How many?" Annabeth asked, standing up. "How are they alive?"

"Around thirty. All Greek." Reyna replied. "It's a story we all have to tell together. Nico, you won't want to hear it, but you have to, if we're all going to survive. You are the only one that can figure it out."

Nico clenched his jaw, but nodded. He stood up while carrying the girl and laid her on the couch, closing her eyes with his hand. Then, carefully, he took the gloves off of Allyson's hands and put them on his own. When he looked back at the others, they were all waiting for him.

"I'm ready." he held his hands up, showing the gloves. "Let's go."

When they were walking through the halls of the building, he caught up to Peyton.

"You need to do something about your hand." he said. "You can't just leave it like that."

Peyton looked up at him. "I'm a daughter of Apollo. I've got fast healing abilities. It's almost gone already."

She held up her hand for him to see, and he saw that she was telling the truth. Almost all the burned flesh was gone, her hand almost perfectly fine.

"I never knew you could do that." Nico answered. "Does it take your energy or anything like that?"

"Nope." Peyton replied. "Every child of Apollo has it. Will used to say-"

She stopped, tears threatening to spill again.

"Will used to say what?" Nico asked.

Peyton took a deep breath. "Will used to say that it was the _only_ perk of being who we are."

"The only one? Dude, everyone has wished to be a child of Apollo, at least once. You don't have to fight,-"

"Exactly." Peyton cut him off. "We _aren't_ fighters. How would you like it if you had to watch all of these demigods fight and then have to try and save them from these wounds? And when they're dying on your watch, all they talk about is how exhilarating the battle was. How much it made them feel alive. Sometimes I just wish to feel that exhilaration, at least once before I die."

"Looks like you will." Nico stated, stopping outside the building. When Peyton turned her head to see what he was looking at, she saw that twenty demigods were fighting, but she couldn't see what. All she saw were the bodies, stacking up too fast.

"It's you're turn to help us fight." Nico said, handing her a dagger from his boot. Then, he grabbed his sword out of the hilt and tested the weight in his hands.

"You ready?" he asked.

Peyton looked at the dagger in her hands and back up at Nico. "I don't have any idea on how to use this."

"Well, I can't teach you now. You will have to learn the best way: on the battle field." he replied. "Let's go."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24- Kitsunes

"What are they?!"

Peyton heard the scream to her right, but had no time to answer it. She didn't even _know_ how to answer it. Over everything she had studied, over everything she had seen killed and turned to dust, she had never seen anything like what she was looking at.

What she could only describe as foxes were attacking the demigods in all directions, giving them absolutely no breathing room. Each fox had a different number of tails, the most at nine. The few that had nine tails had silver fur. These were the ones that no demigod could beat.

She couldn't see from where, but Peyton saw fire coming from both sides. It shot across the blades of grass, incinerating anything in its path. Demigods got hit in her vision, and she cringed at how deep she knew the burns would be, but she shook them out of her thoughts. She couldn't be a fighter _and_ a healer. At least not on the battle field.

The dagger that Nico gave her was light in her hand, giving her the ability to dance around the foxes with some room. Diving under one, she fell on her knee and urged the dagger up into the fox's stomach, where it lodged in-between its ribs. When it went limp above her, she pulled it back out. Before moving to the next one, she saw that the one she killed only had one tail.

The demigods hadn't seen monsters in so long that their skills had become rusty. Over and over, someone would miss a block or a strike. At first, the sight of monsters gave them hope that everything was returning to normal. Now, they realized what they really meant. These monsters, or whatever they really were, they were not something seen before. Their weaknesses were not known. Where had they come from?

"They're called Kitsunes!" she heard Nico call. When she looked over, she saw that he was battling what looked to be human. Then, she saw as it changed from human to fox, over and over. "They're from Japanese mythology!"

The knowledge ran through her brain as she struck another one. "Any weaknesses for the silver ones?!"

"They're only killable with magical weapons!" Nico called back. "Anyone have any except for me and Percy?"

Clarisse called from the other end, telling him that she did. Only two other demigods did.

"Then use them!" Peyton called back. "I'll take care of the injured."

She sprinted to friendly lines, where she dropped by a wounded demigod. Quickly, she began her work on the fallen ones, dragging them to a safe area and patching up their wounds. While she worked, she shut her mind off from the screams of the demigods. No matter what they did, they couldn't even make a dent in the foxes army.

Vaguely, she heard someone call a warning that they could shape shift, but she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she continued her work until she saw Nico coming up to her. His sword was gone, hair astray, but he looked fine.

"Nico, what's wrong? Why aren't you fighting?" she asked, looking out at the son of Hades.

Nico tilted his head, gazing down at her. He then started to advance toward her but stopped about twelve inches away. His smile grew before his body morphed into another fox, it's grey skin glistening in the sunlight.

Peyton felt the urge to back up, but stopped when she remember the fallen demigod by her. She took a deep breath before taking a dagger from the demigod's hand and standing in front of him.

The fox lunged, it's fangs bared and at the ready. She side stepped and stabbed it's back, but the blade glazed off of it's skin. She stumbled behind it's nine tails, squaring up again as it turned to face her. She knew she couldn't beat it, but she had to keep it preoccupied, or she would be dead.

She side stepped the next lunge, but it was too smart for her. It's claws came from nowhere, slicing at her side. She ignored the pain, however, and tried to stand back up, but was knocked down.

The fox leaned over her, it's face changing over and over into different people. Every demigod she had seen in the fight, each face one of her comrades. They were jeering at her, as if taking satisfaction in killing her.

However, before it could strike again, it was knocked off of her and to the side. Looking up, she saw Clarisse using her spear against it. In a few moments, it was dead.

"Are you okay?" she asked, stretching her hand out for her to take. Peyton did, using it to haul herself up.

"Yeah, just a little scratched." she answered. Clarisse nodded before leaving, back into the fight.

Peyton was breathing heavily, having been injured more than she was letting on. She looked down, seeing that the side of her shirt was totally ripped to shreds. Underneath, three claw marks were deeply cut into her ribs. Blood was oozing out, but she knew she couldn't dwell on it too much; there was demigods with way worse of injuries.

Kneeling down slowly, Peyton tore off the bottom of her pant legs. Using the stripes of fabric, she wrapped the wounds so they wouldn't bleed as heavily as they were. When she was done, Peyton stood back up and went back to helping the other wounded ones.

Peyton didn't know how long she went on like that, but the time trickled by so slowly it didn't really matter. After awhile, her vision started to blur, but she ignored it. She couldn't stop just for blood loss. Not with her being the only healer left.

After healing one demigod, she stood up to go to another one, but swayed and almost fell. She held out her arms to balance herself, but the feeling was too great. Falling down to her knees, all sound became blurred in the background of her consciousness. She barely heard the shouts of victory, but instead only saw the blood. So much blood.

It poured out of her like a fountain, staining the ground in the process. With no energy left to even put her hands to it, all she could do was watch it. Every instinct inside screamed at her to do something, do anything, but she couldn't. at that moment, she finally understood why Nico was so unafraid to die. It would stop. It would all stop. No more fighting, no more pain. She wouldn't have to see the world kill itself.

Her vision blackened, but before it could go out, she could see Nico's worried face in front of her, screaming something she couldn't hear. Then, seeing him, the willingness to live came back. She couldn't die without Nico.

Her vision went black.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25- Leila

Peyton's dreams came in floods, memories that her mind had blocked long ago and visions from before her time. Apollo once again began working through her.

S _he was standing in a hospital, in what she assumed to be a patient room. All around her, faces she recognized stared at who she remembered to be her mother, who was laying in a hospital bed. In her arms she held a baby wrapped in a blue blanket, it's blond hair sticking out of the top._

 _"Have you decided on a name?" the nurse asked._

Her mother looked up, eyes staring right into Peyton's. "William Henry Solace…."

The dream shifted, once again in a hospital room, but years later. Her mother was in the bed, and once again she was holding a baby, but this time it was Peyton. Her smile had become sadder, her profile more sickly. Peyton knew that in a couple of years, she would be dead.

Faster than before, the dream once again switched scenes, now showing her the streets of Manhattan. Standing in front of her in an alley was who she now knew to be her full brother, Will Solace. From there, she watched as Allyson ran out and Will was beheaded, his body falling to the ground. The sight was gruesome, done too quick and bloody. Peyton put her hand to her mouth to cover it, but realized that she wasn't there. It was just a dream.

Next, she was in the woods. She saw a group of girls, their bows pinned to their backs, circling around a young girl. Realizing it was Allyson, Peyton made an urge to move forward, but it only zoomed the dream in. From there, she could see a girl that looked oddly familiar take a blade to Allyson's back, carving the writing she had seen long ago. The phrase stuck in her mind, fading only when the dream faded.

When Peyton woke up, the first thing she saw where Nico's eyes. They gazed down at her, lighting up when he saw that she was awake.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, voice hoarse and raw. "You've been out for awhile."

"I'm fine," Peyton replied. Her eyebrows knitted together, looking above Nico's head. "That ceiling…. I know where we are…"

"The Infirmary." Nico answered. "Turns out they didn't burn Camp to the ground, so we're regrouping here."

"Is it safe?" Peyton asked, trying to sit up. He pushed her back down, however, shaking his head.

"You're not healed enough yet. You need to stay laid down." Nico answered.

"I know how injured I am," Peyton replied, "and it's not that bad. I can at least sit up and see what kind of shape this place is in."

Nico sighed. "Fine, just let me help you."

He propped the pillows up so that they would hold her in place before helping her sit up against them. Her eyes instantly glazed over the Infirmary, taking in everything.

Just like she remembered, all she could see was white. The walls, floors, ceilings, and cots were all this color, for tradition. Demigods lounged on a couple cots, but it was mostly empty. She could hear the other ones outside, and it felt like it did so long ago, before Allyson showed up. But Peyton knew, however, that it would never be the same.

"You've grown…" Peyton muttered, looking up at Nico. He looked like he was her age, seventeen, but that wasn't right. He was supposed to still look fourteen.

Nico shrugged. "It happened yesterday. It seems I'm growing with you."

"How _long_ have I been out?" she asked. "You look…..happy…"

Nico looked down at her. "I'm happy because you're awake. You've been asleep for a month. They thought you were brain dead."

"A month." Peyton repeated. "I've been out for a month."

Nico nodded. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just, you know, missed out on everything!" Peyton exclaimed.

"You didn't miss out on everything!" Nico disagreed. "All we have been doing is role call and who is actually dead and who joined them."

"Them? As in the ones who started this in the first place?" Peyton asked. "Our people actually joined them?"

"Quite a lot, actually, but there has also been a lot of deaths. I've been busy with burial rites this whole time." Nico replied. "Yet, I don't know why, but we have been finding a lot of demigods that didn't know they were demigods. Teenagers. We've got almost our old numbers back."

Peyton nodded. "What did you guys do to me, to get the bleeding to stop?"

"Look for yourself." Nico gestured toward her side. When she pulled up the white shirt she had on, she saw that the claw marks and been sown shut. Yet, being who she was, she saw how they were poorly done, as if somebody was in a hurry.

"Who butchered me?!" Peyton asked, sitting up all they way. She glazed her hand over the black staples, wincing as she did so.

"Nobody _butchered_ you." Nico countered. "They look fine."

"They were done with _staples_ , Nico." Peyton replied. " _Work_ _staples_! Not even the hospital ones!"

"Okay…?" Nico asked.

Peyton sighed heavily. "Staples like these are going to scar horribly. I'm going to look like Frankenstein for the rest of my life, not to mentions that these can get severely infected, especially because nobody _took them out_!"

"You were supposed to take them out?" Nico asked, scratching his head.

Peyton bit her lip. "Go get me the tray that has the forceps on it."

"The _what_?" Nico asked, standing up.

"The _tweezers_ , Nico!" Peyton exclaimed. "This is why I do the medical stuff."

"Hey, I'm a son of Hades! I'm happy to leave the medical stuff to you!" Nico answered, walking around the Infirmary. Finally he found one and went back to her.

"You grabbed a used one." Peyton replied.

"That's the only one I could find!" Nico exclaimed.

"Then get me an alcohol wipe, so I can disinfect it!" Peyton replied.

"And where are _those_?" Nico asked, reluctantly getting back up.

"They should be laying around somewhere." Peyton replied. "Make sure you get one that's closed!"

"Yes, maim." Nico mumbled. He came back a couple minutes later with one and gave it to Peyton, who thanked him before taking it.

Peyton used the wipe and cleaned off the tweezers, taking her time before finally setting the wipe down. After that, she lifted her shirt back up so she could get to the stitches.

"What are you doing?!" Nico asked.

"Taking the staples out." Peyton replied, pulling one out in the process. She winced from the pain before going to the next one.

"You aren't going to numb it first?" Nico asked. "Are you _insane_?"

Peyton didn't answer, however, continuing with the staples. Nico watched reluctantly, half closing his eyes.

"Why isn't it bleeding?" Nico asked.

"Because the staples shouldn't be in there in the first place." Peyton replied. "They have become part of the skin, which is why this is going to scar."

"That was the only thing we could think of!" Nico defended. "Would you rather of had us let you bleed out?"

Peyton sighed. "No,"

She finished taking them out, looking at her work before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Nico asked, following her as she walked toward the doors.  
"To the Big House." Peyton replied. "I'm fine, and I had a dream I need to tell them about."

"Wait for me, then." Nico said. He caught up to her, nodding that she could continue. They walked out of the doors, Peyton briefly closing her eyes against the sun before reopening them.

"It's just like it used to be." Peyton smiled. "Isn't?"

"Almost." Nico agreed. "But we have guard every hour and an enemy we can't see."  
Peyton sighed. "You had to ruin it, didn't you?"

"Well, I'm not really optimistic." Nico agreed. "Come on, let's get going."

When they walked in the rec room, a meeting was already going on. Each cabin had a counselor there, except for those who were vacant and the Hades and Apollo. When Nico and Peyton came, the completed the group.

"Peyton, you're awake!" Annabeth exclaimed. "Why are you up? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I've been resting for a month." Peyton replied, sitting in her cabin councilor's chair, which used to be held by Will Solace. "And I've had dreams, which I think you all should know about."

She told them all about her dreams, including Will being her full brother. She also told them how she saw when they engraved Allyson's back. Nico's face became stone cold, and everybody lost any good mood they had.

"What?" Peyton asked. "What happened?"

"As you know," Annabeth started, "Allyson died the day you got hurt, remember?"

"I remember perfectly." Peyton answered. "Continue."

Annabeth sighed, eyes becoming sad and tired. "The thing was, Allyson wasn't Bianca."

"What?" Peyton asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Allyson wasn't Bianca." Annabeth repeated. "She was a mind demon."

"A mind demon…." Peyton's eyes downcast. "I cared that much about a mind demon."

"We all did." Nico put in. "Anyways, that also means that she wasn't a daughter of Thanatos, which makes no sense. That was the only thing I _could_ tell about her. But it does explain how I got her powers. They have the ability to pass on powers they think are dangerous and uncontrollable, which those were. But, being a son of Hades, I could get rid of them because it's in my father's element. He created mind demons."

"Then why was it terrorizing you?" Peyton asked. "Why not target someone else?"

Nico shook his head. "We haven't figured that part out yet, but we will. We have to."

"Those girls," Jason spoke up. "They sound like the Hunters of Artemis. Do you think they could have rebelled after Artemis disappeared for so long up on Olympus? Is that why Thaila was killed?"

Everyone was silent, taking in what Jason said.

"That could explain it…" Annabeth muttered. "But why would they do that?"

"And why would the one claim herself as Bianca di Angelo?" Reyna asked. She sat at the head of the table, where Chiron used to sit.

Nico pursed his lips. "She was reborn. It's impossible for it to be her."

"And she looked possessed." Leo pointed out. "That means we're dealing with another power that wants to take over Olympus, like Gaea or Kronos."

"Have they done anything at all since the fall of Camp Half-Blood?" Peyton asked. "Have they shown themselves in anyway?"

"Only when the girl stopped us in the forest." Reyna replied.

"That means they're planning something." Peyton replied. "Just think about it. Why would that girl appear to you, totally outnumbered, if she wasn't giving us some kind of warning?"

"I agree with Peyton." Annabeth said. "She had to have been thinking something."

"We need a name for her, to call her something." Peyton said. "She's obviously the leader. She keeps popping up everywhere. We need something to call her except for 'the girl'."

"And _not_ anything to do with my sister." Nico said.

"Well, who does she remind you of?" Percy asked. "I think, from what've heard, she's like a girl version of Luke."

"That's true." Peyton agreed. "Gender bent, that would be Leila. That good with everybody?"

Nobody disagreed.

"Good, now, let's get to planning." Peyton said.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26- Revenge (Part 1)

Peyton walked out of the Big House, closing her eyes against the sunlight. After so long of being in that coma, her eyes weren't used to being out in the light. For the first time, she knew what it felt like to resent the brightness, and she didn't know if she liked that or not.

Before going back to the Infirmary, Peyton started to head over to the lake. She needed to get out, to do something. After everything that had happened to her, she wanted to just _relax_ before something else happened. Yet, liked she had learned long before, she could never have what she wanted.

She was already past the cabins and halfway to the lake when she heard it for the first time. The sound pierced through the trees and echoed throughout the valley, causing every weary head to look up. At first, nothing was visible, but again the noise was heard, and everything came at once.

Peyton climbed a tree before anybody could reach her, out of sight from everyone. From there, she watched as the army moved into Camp Half-Blood, it's red banners raised high. Demigods, monsters, and things she didn't know the name of marched by in rows, each armed heavily. Every one carried a banner, and every one looked ready to spill blood.

Peyton had no weapon on her, but she knew she had to do _something_. She couldn't just sit there and watch her home be ruined, again. When the army passed and Leila was the only one left, walking behind everybody as if it was a stroll in the park, Peyton knew exactly what she had to do. She prayed to her father one last time before dropping out of the tree, landing on her bare feet.

Like so many times in his life, Nico felt like the secret weapon that nobody would admit was there. He knew he could turn the odds in their favor, and they did too, but they acted like he wasn't there. He tried to warn them, they didn't listen. He tried to command troops, and they also wouldn't listen. It was like he was invisible amongst the full fledged _war_.

Yes, they were at war, and at the final battle, too.

It looked like the Hunters of Artemis, but there was also boys in their ranks. Through the blood red helmets, he could see their familiar faces sneer at him, like they had always wanted the opportunity they had now to end his life. But he wouldn't let them. He danced out of the way, focusing on finding Peyton. He didn't know where she was, but he had to find her. So, his first instinct was the Infirmary.

Nico crouched behind a tree, facing the fighting. He caught his breath, looking at how the troops surrounded each building, like they gave to way to escape indoors. It was smart, in his opinion, because that would mean all the fighting would be forced outside, where they could shoot their bows and arrows.

His first thought was to shadow travel, but stopped when he remember what Will had told him so long ago.

 _"One more slip and you won't come back. You are_

not _shadow traveling."_

 _"You idiot. I told you no more of that Underworld magic." Will put an arm around him._

"I'm fine." Nico replied.

"Shut up. You're not." Will answered.

"I'll do what I need to." Nico said.

"Fine, Death Boy. If you want to get yourself killed-"

Nico wiped his eyes. He refuse to cry, not over someone dead so long ago. He didn't even know Will that good, but when he was with him, Will actually cared about him. Percy cared about his promise, but Will had actually cared about _him_. It seemed like he could only get that from children of Apollo, which were his exact _opposite_.

He hadn't thought much about Will's death. If fact, he had kind of ignored it. He didn't want to accept it, and he hadn't. But now, he was. Will and Peyton were like twins back then, and now he knew that they were actually full siblings. This made the guilt of Will's death stronger than before. Now he felt like he could have done more, he _should_ have done more.

Nico shook his head. He couldn't follow Will's advice now. He didn't have time. If he was going to save Peyton, then he had to. He was breaking a promise to the dead, but it had to be done.

After so long without it, shadow travel seemed like the way he would have least liked to pick. But he had already done it. The shadows were cold, ice hanging off as they reached toward him, reached toward his soul. They wanted Nico to become a part of them, but he couldn't. Not with at least some hope left.

When Nico landed in the Infirmary, he was too weak to stand. He could see the puddle of darkness under him, the shadows leaking out into a flood. He sat like that for a few minutes, unable to breathe without feeling like the darkness was filling up his lungs. Eventually, the feeling passed, and he could stand up.

The Infirmary was empty, but he could see something that hadn't been there before. On the bulletin on the far wall, a picture of Will was hung high, with writing underneath.

Nico stretched out his hand to take the picture in it, but it passed right through. His hand turned to smoke and came back, but it was still intangible. Instead of picking anything up this time, he read off of the board.

 _William Henry Solace: (1992-2015)_

 _William (Will) Solace was brought to Camp Half Blood when he was two years old. Ever since then, helped in the Infirmary and was taught under Michael Yew, cabin councilor at the time._

When Michael Yew died in the Titan War, Will took over as head of the Apollo cabin. He was officially head of the Infirmary and worked just as hard as he had before. Even during The Second Giant War, he healed and fought, making a big difference. He also helped Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, stop the lead protagonist, Octavian. They each get credit in the saving of our home, Camp Half-Blood. This home will forever stand tall thanks to these two-"

Nico stopped reading, tears making their way down his face. Just like he had thought, the Apollo cabin was the only one that actually thought good of him, and this was probably all because of Will and Peyton. Will hade been one of his only friends, and now he was dead, reborn into another soul.

He would never see him again, just like everybody else he cared about. Nico wiped the tears off of his face, a grim but determines expression set. He would make whoever killed Will _pay_. He promise on the River Styx.

Nico looked around at the empty Infirmary, it's blank walls staring back at him. He didn't know where else to look for Peyton, and was running out of ideas. Yet, he knew he had to save her. She was Will's sister. He couldn't let her get hurt, too. He couldn't let her die. She was the last child of Apollo.

Nico reached into his pocket, his hands back to normal by then, and pulled out the pack of gum Will had given him so long before, just in case he broke his promise. He took two pieces out and put them in his mouth before pulling his sword out. By the end of the day, everything would be over, and be would either be dead or alive. Just to prove all of them wrong, he was going to make it out alive. He had to.

Nico barged out of the door, slashing his way through anybody in his path. He was going to make them pay for everything they had did, for all the lives they had ruined. And each time he slashed, a new death was avenged. Yet, he knew no matter what he did to them , it would never make up for their sacrifices. It would never be enough to bring Will back. Or Sally Jackson, or Hazel. It would never let him see them again, but at least he would be able to live with himself afterwards.

He finally made it to the edge of the woods, where he could feel Peyton's life-force, strong and steady. Adrenaline ran through his body, his mind totally shutting off. The only thought he had was revenge. And that was what he would get.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27-b Revenge (Part 2)

The woods were deep and dense, Nico hardly able to find his way through. The only thing that kept him going was the idea of revenge. It was the only thing he had left.

What he saw when he got there was something that would forever change his life. Peyton was trying to fight Leila, but to no avail. She had no weapon, no fighting skills. All she had was the will to survive, which would never be enough.

Nico's mind became slow motion, senses on high alert. In that moment, he knew what he had to do. He could see the blade moving toward Peyton's back, knowing that when it hit it would be fatal. Yet he knew he had to save her.

Nico remembered what his father had said long before. Some deaths couldn't be prevented. They _shouldn't_ be prevented. They were meant to happen. And this time, Nico knew that this was meant to happen. All his life, everything he went through just to be there now, it all came down for this. It was all so he could do this.

Nico prepelled himself forward, his sword dropping out of his hand in the process. He grabbed a dagger out of his boot, however, and got in between Peyton and Leila. He dug the dagger into Leila's chest, right above her heart. Her face was filled with shock, and then it never moved again.

Before Nico could even take pride in his victory, he had to look down. Right in his stomach, only the hilt sticking out, was the blade that was at first meant for Peyton.

He dropped.

Peyton kneeled down next to him, mind going into shook. At first, it was just her fighting to oblivion. But then, out of nowhere, Nico got hurt, killing her killer.

"Nico?! Nico can you hear me?" she asked, shaking him. His eyes opened dully, but he was barely aware of his presence. Instead, he started to cough up blood.

"I'm sorry, Peyton…" he breathed out. "For yelling at you so much. I love you."

"Stop talking like you're dieing." Peyton replied. She let a tear slip down her cheek, letting her hand relax where they were trying to keep him from bleeding out. Like she learned with Lou Ellen, she was in over her head. She couldn't save everybody.

Nico smiled, his mouth sticking from blood. "We both know that's not true. You know I still believe in God, like capital G? I know he's up there, it's just we are stuck in going to the Underworld, because of our family. But he's still up there, I know he is. I wanted to go to heaven _so_ _bad_. Just, keep going for me, okay?"

"Nico…" Peyton looked down into his eyes. "You are going to come back to camp with me. Okay? We are both going home."

"No, I'm not." Nico disagreed. He was losing consiasness, losing his touch on reality. "I know because-"

He trailed off, his eyes fluttering open and closed, teasing her as she though each breath was his last.

"Nico?" she asked, voice cracking. By then, she was covered with his blood, but she didn't care.

"I stopped her, so you can get out." Nico continued. "You need to save yourself, leave me here. Just go, hurry. Before somebody else comes. Take my sword."

"I'm not leaving you alone, Nico." Peyton said, crying harder now. "No one deserves to die alone. Especially not someone like you."

"You have to…." Nico said. "Because, because Annabeth found out something I think you forgot to tell me."

"What are you talking about?" Peyton asked.

"You…didn't know…" Nico managed. "How didn't you know?"

"Know what, Nico?" Peyton asked. She took her hands off his stomach and clapsed them around his. His breathing was slowing down, and she could feel his death grow closer with every second.

"We're...going to have…. a baby…" Nico breathed out. "You're two….. months pregnant."

"What?!" Peyton asked. "Why didn't you guys tell me?!"

Nico's eyes were glazed over. "Leila, that was for Will…"

He didn't speak again.

"Nico?" her voice was small, hurt. "Nico, please be alive."

She started to sob, knowing that he wasn't going to come back. He wasn't going to go home. No, instead, he was going to the grave thinking that he was a monster, a murder. But she knew the truth, and she would teach her kid the truth. Her was the reason that every demigod was alive.

She needed to bring his body back. At least this way, his body could go home. She _needed_ to let his body go home. She _had_ to.

Peyton shakily got to her feet, her body shaking from what had happened. Blood was everywhere, it forever marking the place where Nico di Angelo, the only son of Hades, was finally killed. Every demigod had to die at sometime, and it was finally his time, after over a hundred years of living.

Percy dropped his blade, looking up at what everybody else also looking at, friends and foes. Standing in the clearing, making her first appearance in years, Artemis was almost in her full form. Her eyes were saddened and old, showng how many deaths she had really seen. She was looking down at her Hunters with distaste.

"Why would you do this?" she asked, her voice full of emotions. "Look at what you've done! Do you realize how much pain you've caused, how many families have been torn apart?"

The Hunters looked around for their leader, but couldn't find her. So, nobody spoke. Instead, they continued to gaze up at Artemis.

"On this day, you have all left me no choice." Aretemis continued. Like all good things, this era must come to an end. Fighting next to the saviors of Olympus, I will make sure you all get justice."

Percy, still speachless at the goddess' behavior, stood still, even after the battle started again. Finally, he went back into action, striking anything in sight.

"Percy!" Annabeth exclaimed, running up to him. "There's monsters coming. A lot of them."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. "How can there possibly be more?"

Annabeth shook her head, instead pointing to the top of Half-Blood hill. It was totally overrun by monsters, the wave coming down hard.

"Warn everybody!" Percy exclaimed. "Any luck in finding Peyton?"

"None." Annabeth called back. "She shouldn't be fighting in her condition, but she doesn't know! I don't know what to do!"

"Hopefully Nico found her and told her." Percy said. "That's the only thing I can think of."

Percy nodded, contiueing in the battle.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28-

The battle went on all through the night and well after sunrise. Percy was scared, tired, and wishing for anything that would let him take a brake, even death. Almost every warrior was.

Percy first heard the news when he finally calld victory over the Hunters. He was standing, a sad smile plastered on his face, right in front of everybody left alive. There was no teams to look out for the lost, and nobody to count up the dead yet. In that moment, he had no news of anybody he loved dead, and he was happy. For a few seconds, he was truly happy for the last time in his life.

Annabeth came and told him, whispering in his ear. He had rushed to the woods, where he found Peyton sobbing over the corpse. He didn't belive it at first, refusing to admit that the one he saw as indestructible was dead. He couldn't be, right?

Than, the adreniline wore off, the shook finally ceasing until he fully processed it. He dropped to his knees beside Peyton, where blood was stained, everywhere. He didn't know how long he stayed down there, but he felt like he could never get up.

Every since he could remember, Nico was always looking for the truth. He would have done anything for it, even after he traded Percy into his father. Even after that, Percy forgave him and treated him like a little brother.

Now, he knew that Nico was never going to get the full truth. He was never going to know why everthing that had happened to him, did. He would never get true happiness, never get realife or joy. He had always been stuck in a body that didn't match his soul.

Now, his soul was forever going to be in the Underowrld, and he would never come back.

The funeral was the worst Percy had ever attended.

Peyton was showing signs of pregnancy by then. She was dressed in all black, hair down and tangled. When Percy tired to face her, tell her that he was sorry, she only shook her head. She told him she couldn't do that then, and he understood.

They wanted him to burn the shroud, but he didn't want to take Nico's spotlight. He had done it so much without knowing and he felt so bad, so he knew he couldn't do it again.

Peyton did it, her small fame barely moving at all the whole time. When Percy looked in her eyes, he could see the dullness in them, knowing that Nico took the light with him to his death. Now, she was left in the dark, just like Nico had been all those years ago, when Bianca died.

After the funeral, Percy went back to his cabin, sadnnes becoming too strong for anybody's company. Laying in his bed, he subconsciously counted off all of the names of those who were killed. He then got up and wrote them down, for future generations, so they would never be forgotten.

Drew Tanaka

Thaila Grace

Will Solace

Hazel Levesque

Randle Wendleton

Jake Mason

Lou Ellen

Nico di Angelo

Peyton had her baby six months later. It was a baby boy, his black hair sticking up in curls. He had black eyes that bore into your soul, so very much like his father's. He also had Peyton's nose and mouth, with a splash of freckles decorating his face.

"Nico William di Angelo."


End file.
